Carousel: Usotsuki
by Rain16
Summary: [ COMPLETE ] What if Akane and Ranma both gave in to their fathers' wishes, only to misunderstand the reasons? [ RA ]
1. Part One

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part One. 

Akane shuffled her way down the hall, feeling rather dejected, and altogether tired. Not tired like she needed more sleep, she had been trying that for the past few pointless hours; tired. Tired of the fights, the bickering, the stupid misunderstandings. Tired of resisting. Tired of pretending. Tired of running away. Tired of getting angry because it was easy.

Tired.

Unconsciously passing the guest room where Ranma and his father slept, Akane would have kept walking if a small, muffled sound hadn't caught her ears.

::What was that?::

She now noticed the door was slightly ajar. Opening it, she peeked inside, not making a sound. There was something about the room that didn't look quite right. 

Ranma's father was absent from the room, but that was because he was out with her father, the hapless pair no doubt out getting hopelessly drunk at any local sake bar likely to admit a panda and a walking, talking leaky pipe. There were more in Nerima than a normal person cared to know.

Being so emotionally exhausted, and just as fed up with just about everything, it took her a minute or two to actually put her finger on it.

The room was immaculately tidy, something Kasumi would have done, if she ever did that sort of thing in the middle of the night. Saotome-san's things were all in place, he chose to be a slob elsewhere in the house, but it was Ranma's things that first caught her eye. What few belongings he did have were packed into his familiar rucksack, the one he always brought on those bizarre training trips. Aside from that she could see there were none of this other things spread around the room that looked so foreign now that it looked as it had before Ranma had come stumbling awkwardly into her life.

He usually left most of it behind, because there's no use to take everything when you're coming back.

But she knew that everything was there, in that worn bag.

Trying to ignore the nagging feeling that sight had instilled within her, Akane scanned the rest of the room. Her eyes fell on Ranma. She hadn't even noticed him before then.

If she had still had that cup of tea, she would have dropped it.

Ranma was in a corner of the room, by the stacked futons, his knees pulled tightly to him, arms around them, chin resting on his arms. He was almost curled into a ball, just sitting there, everything in his posture shouting at her to do something, anything but just stand there like a gaping idiot. 

She made a motion as if to move forwards, to cross the room, but she stopped when she heard his voice. He still didn't seem to have noticed her.

"Baka," he whispered to no one in particular.

Akane tensed. ::Honestly, after all that, he still has the gall to insult me?! Ranma no-::__

"Baka," he said again, finishing her thought. "I'm such a stupid, stupid baka! Why can't I ever think before I open my stupid, big mouth? I'm such an idiot, and she hates me for it. Honestly, can I blame her for it? No, I'd hate me too. I treat her like crap, and I always expect "it was just a joke" to fix everything. I'm just a lost fool and I can't get over her no matter how hard I try."

::Get over me? Does he really think I hate him? No, Ranma, I don't… Don't think such a sad thing…::

"Coward…" it was such a small whisper, she could barely hear him. His shoulders were shaking now, he was holding something back. His voice was so tight, she could tell he was doing his best not to cry. He moved his hands to bury his forehead in his palms, his elbows on his knees, raking his fingers through his bangs feebly.

"I'm such a coward."

_Earlier that day…_

_Just after breakfast has been cleared, Soun and Genma sit sternly across the dining table from Ranma and Akane, who look bored. Nodoka is there, by now no longer an unusual presence in the Tendo home. _

_Kasumi is calmly handing around tea, but something about her movements is forced, as though she is holding back what she really wants to say other than "Would you like some more leaves, Obasama?" or "Is it too hot, Otousan?" and the polite smile on her face, for the first time, looks plastered, rather than genuine._

_Nabiki looks to be her usual cold, collected self, but upon closer inspection, an observant person might notice the strain. That was a lot to give away, especially for Nabiki. _

_Ranma and Akane don't bother to pay close enough attention, however, and the two fathers are most likely choosing to ignore the signs of trouble. Instead, Genma pushes his glasses up his nose with an index finger, and Soun turns on the waterworks. Nodoka is the first to speak. _

_"Akane, son-" Ranma visibly tensed. His mother only called him "son" when she either was announcing something very grave, or when his life was at stake. Or both. "In light of the recent failed wedding-" now it was Akane's turn to react, although she simply looked pissed. "Your fathers and I have decided that the only way to resolve all the trouble is to marry you two in a private ceremony, strictly family only. Tonight."_

_Akane opened her mouth to protest, and Ranma stood up quite abruptly. The two of them would have probably had something to say if Nodoka hadn't silenced Akane with a look, and Ranma with a finger along the katana. Akane didn't shut her mouth, but Ranma wisely sat down again._

_"If you two refuse to 'tie up your loose ends,' as they say, we will simply marry you and leave you to pick up after what your hesitation and ignorance has caused to develop."_

_Akane looked more pissed than ever. Ranma glared. Genma concentrated on a spot on the tatami mat. Soun cried louder. Nodoka cleared her throat._

_"The decision is final. Try and think of it as a good thing. No more motherly threats. No more drunk fathers-" Nodoka glanced at her husband and his friend, and amended her comment; "No more fathers dancing around babbling about 'the joining of the houses.' No more fiancé problems. Honor is satisfied, and the energy field that seems to reside around my son to do nothing but attract trouble just might dissipate slightly." Ranma snorted derisively. ::Not likely, obasan.:: Akane thought.  _

_"Fine," Ranma said, sounding angrier than Akane had expected. "What the two of us want never stopped either of you before, did it? Go right ahead! I'm surprised you even told us, instead of just drugging us and dressing us up like a couple of puppets, like the last time. Do whatever the hell you want." He stood up, ignoring Soun's increase in volume, and trudged out of the room. Akane was sure she heard a door slam._

_Surprisingly enough, she hadn't been all that upset. Ranma's attitude in a way was the more shocking thing. Was it really such a bad thing to have to marry her? She was so sure the last time that he would have if everyone else hadn't… She shook her head, trying to clear it. He did have a point, though. This was hardly fair, but not unexpected. It just felt wrong. _

_Was it a problem that she wanted it to feel right?_

_*           *           *_

_Akane, although the whole thing had been announced earlier that day, was still in a hazy state of shock. She supposed it was only natural. It felt as if just a few hours ago she had woken up in her comfortable, normal, everyday room that never changed, and come downstairs for breakfast to really get a wake up call. Now, as she looked around her, everything looked strange and changed. She wasn't sure yet if it was welcoming or just disturbing; the way one little thing could screw everything else up._

_::But it's not a little thing,:: she reminded herself. ::I'm getting married.::_

_And that sounded even stranger than everything seemed to look._

_But Akane couldn't deny the stark facts of the situation. Here she was, in her room that didn't seem to fit her anymore, standing stiffly upright as Kasumi bent around her ankles, taking in and hemming mother's old western-style wedding dress. The dress she would wear that night, when she got married. The dress that felt so silky and yet so cold on her pale skin._

_Kasumi finished, and sensibly knew when she was not needed, or when her baby sister needed to be alone. ::No, she's not a baby anymore. She never really was. She's always tried so hard to look after the rest of us that she almost refused to look after herself. I wish I knew what was good for you, Akane. You're so enclosed in your own little shell. Why can't you ever let anyone in? It wouldn't have to be everyone. Only the one who cares about you the most. And we both know who that is.:: She sighed quietly, knowing Akane was too deep in thought to hear. ::Oh, Akane, don't regret. Look on to the future, because it's all you've left to yourself.:: She shut the door behind her quietly._

_Akane fingered the lace trim that encircled her bare shoulder, not really looking at the dress, or anything else. _

_She didn't notice the tears at first, either. _

_Only when the salty wetness made her fingers slip on the pearly white fabric did she slide to the floor and bury her face in her hands; did she try to hide from the world. _

_Still the tears -now cold and slipping soundlessly down her skin- fell. _

_End Part One._

Notes: 

"Usotsuki" means Liar. 

"Otousan" means Father.

"Obasan" or "Obasama" means Aunt.

I know this fic seems really depressing, and is hardly like anything else I've written at all. I'm trying something new. I got an idea, it wouldn't leave me alone (yet again) and I decided to try a continuation fic. Fortunately I update everyday, if not post it all at once. The sooner I write it out, the less time my ideas have to run away, lol. It's depressing at first, but it's all fantastic basis for one hell of a finish, I promise! Also, I'm using third person omniscient POV because I wanted to show you all what everyone is thinking, not just one or two. I hope this works! *crosses fingers, and remembers her last post, the really short one that sucked major ass*

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	2. Part Two

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Two.

_Kasumi had advised Akane not to meet with Ranma today, as there was some stupid American saying that the groom shouldn't see the bride until she walked down the aisle. _

_::Screw American traditions. How many of them get divorced anyway?:: she thought, agitated, as she walked down the hall to Ranma and his father's room. She knocked lightly and waited until Ranma called "Come in, Kasumi." Akane figured Ranma was assuming it was Kasumi (a) because of that silly saying, and (b) because Akane never knocked, but simply barged in._

_She stepped in the room, shutting the door behind her softly. "Um, it's not Kasumi, Ranma, it's me."_

_She was sure she saw him start a little, before he turned around slowly to face her. He had been standing with his back to the door, one foot casually up on the room's only chair, tying his tie. _

_Akane blushed a little when he looked at her. It wasn't because she was shy in a wedding dress, she had worn one before. Twice, actually. It was just Ranma. He always had that affect on her at the weirdest times, usually doing something ordinary, second nature, or nothing at all. _

_Akane wished inwardly that his mother didn't always insist on him wearing a tuxedo. Not that he didn't look good in one; Ranma looked handsome in just about anything he wore. Including what he was wearing now. But still, they didn't seem to suit him like his familiar Chinese silk shirts did. She did have to give Obasan credit this time, though. The navy-blue color of this one, especially the steel-blue gray of the tie, really brought out Ranma's deep eyes. She realized she had been standing there, blushing, for about a minute now, just staring at him._

_She cleared her throat feeling a bit stupid, but Ranma didn't seem to notice. No matter how many times he had seen her in a wedding dress, whatever kind they were, Akane always looked wonderful. Ranma wondered why she hadn't worn her mother's dress before. It was simple yet it brought out all the better points of her figure that Ranma had a hard time pretending to ignore. She didn't have her veil on yet, it was a bit early for that, but Kasumi had already done her hair up in an elegant style. Although Akane's hair was still fairly short, it wasn't as short as it had been when Kasumi first trimmed it for her over a year ago, and there was enough loose so that Kasumi could twist back a simple braid to clip in a blue butterfly barrette at the back of her head on either side, while the rest of her hair hung loosely around her slim neck. It was also the first time Ranma had seen her wear earrings. In short, Ranma couldn't help staring at her either. Akane cleared her throat, snapping him out of it._

_"Um, Kasumi sent me to tell you that the, uh, that she and Nabiki are almost ready…" Now that was a blatant lie; Kasumi would certainly not have sent Akane in her dress to tell Ranma something so menial. But neither of them minded, so that was beside the point. "Oh, Ranma, I forgot. I don't think Ryoga is going to make it." _

_Ranma had asked Ryoga to be his best man. Differences aside, the two weren't enemies, and they weren't friends; they were rivals. It had been some months since Akane had found out about Ryoga's secret, and also his feelings for her, but she had put that behind her, and honestly she wouldn't have minded if Ryoga had managed to show up. Things had been sorted out since then between them, and they were friends again, so to speak._

_"Oh," Ranma said simply. He really didn't know what to think, it wasn't as if he could have expected him to make it, and he hadn't really been counting on it. It was the gesture that counted, after all. He would have liked him to be there if it wasn't such a fake affair… And that was what had been nagging at him all day._

_Akane was being forced to marry him. And he hated it. It wasn't that he didn't want to marry her, far from that, in fact that was what he wanted more than anything else._

_But not like this._

_It felt wrong and forced and he couldn't help thinking that Akane had given in without a fight simply because she was tired of their parents shoving this on them whenever things got too quiet around the house. That she was giving in because it was easier than fighting it. And to be honest he was tired of fighting it too._

_But he wanted to marry her because… because he loved her. He really did. But the fact that Akane probably could never love him, couldn't be doing this of her own free will, that Akane was just surrendering… made him feel sick, and ashamed. _

_He was giving in mostly because he wanted to get the chance to love her so bad. He wanted to marry her and no one else. But that was selfish and it was anything but fair. Akane deserved to be able to choose. Akane deserved someone who was worth the wonderful person that she was. Akane deserved to fall in love with whoever she wanted to, and be proposed to and loved the way any normal girl did. And Ranma knew that Akane still had a part of her that wanted desperately to be just like everyone else. But he was being selfish and spineless and marrying her because he loved her. It wouldn't have been so wrong if she loved him back. _

_::But she doesn't.:: Ranma reminded himself for about the millionth time since that fateful morning. ::She can't. She probably never will. And honestly, can you blame her?::_

_Suddenly his eyes looked so sad, and Akane wondered why he turned away from her again._

_"Thanks for letting me know. You… you'd better finish getting ready. It's almost 8," Ranma finished lamely, his voice forcibly normal sounding and unsteady._

_"Oh, Ok," Akane said, suddenly unsure of everything. "I will." And she left._

_Ranma leaned against the door once she had shut it and tried taking deep breaths. They weren't really helping. He tried letting his head fall back against the door instead. That didn't work either._

_Rubbing the back of his head absentmindedly, Ranma paced the room. _

_::Am I really going to go through with this? How can I do this to her? But if I say I can't marry her, she'll think it's because I don't want to, but I do and god damnit! why does everything in my life have to be so screwed up?!::_

_Not finding any answers from pacing, Ranma sat dejectedly down on the chair and leaned his elbows on the table before him, running his hands through his hair._

_::What am I supposed to do now?::_

_*           *           *_

_Ranma didn't have a whole lot of time to think about that._

_As he had told Akane before, it was almost 8. The ceremony was scheduled to begin then. _

_The time between the house and the small room their parents had rented at the last minute was a blur. All Ranma knew was one minute he was sitting in his room, trying not to think about what was only 7 minutes away, and the next there he was, standing at one end of a makeshift aisle uneasily shifting from one foot to the other, driving his mother slowly insane, feeling rather out of place. _

_Only Soun, Genma, Nodoka, Kasumi, Nabiki and a short little priest were there. Ranma was nervous as hell, not only because of the usual reasons for a groom, but because he still hadn't had time to decide what he was going to do. There wasn't a whole lot he could do. He was running out of time._

_Some music started up, and Ranma stiffened._

_Scratch that. He was out of time. For one of the very few times in his life, Ranma felt incredibly helpless, standing there, fidgeting, waiting for something he had to find some way to fix before…_

_Akane walked in then. Almost out of habit, Ranma couldn't think straight as soon as he saw her. She always found a way to do that to him, and he would have been thinking that this was probably the worst possible time for that, but he couldn't think about anything but how beautiful she looked. And he had even seen her once before._

_She walked down the aisle, a bouquet of flowers in one arm, her other arm linked with her father's. It seemed she was the one doing most of the supporting, as Soun was nearly going to pieces at her side. _

_But Ranma wasn't paying attention to that. He could only notice how bright her eyes seemed, shimmering brilliantly in the soft light of the room. Was it because she was trying not to cry, or because she might actually be… happy? Ranma tried to slow his heart down and hoped it was a bit of both._

_Ranma couldn't remember much after that either. He couldn't stop looking at her eyes, trying to see how she was feeling. If she was as terrified as he was, if she was sad to be giving in, resigned to something she didn't want, if it was all just a façade and there was no part of her that could maybe care for him… But he was feeling too anxious to tell for sure, and certainly not through a veil. He was really only aware of how tiny her soft hands were in his, and how his wouldn't stop shaking. He wasn't sure what he was saying, he was just repeating what he was told to. But he knew that he wouldn't have said any of it if he hadn't meant it. And that was what scared him the most. He meant every word. _

_Did Akane mean it too? Or was he just hoping for much more than was reasonable?_

_He was very aware of what if felt like to slip the ring over her small finger; and what it felt like when she did the same for him. He suddenly realized he never wanted to take it off._

_And then all of a sudden he was lifting her veil… She was looking up at him with those eyes that could make his knees weak and they were sparkling with something he couldn't identify. And for one moment he was so sure he could believe in that something… That maybe she could feel the same… His hands were on her shoulders, barely touching her, almost like if he did she would vanish… She was moving upwards a little, leaning close to him and all he wanted was to kiss her and hold her close to him and never let her go… Their faces were so close now and it seemed like everyone was holding their breath, and in that split second as Ranma was about to close his eyes he remembered why his chest felt so tight… _

_::I can't. I won't do this to her… It isn't fair…::_

_At the last second he moved his hand to her chin and turned her head to the side, kissing her on the cheek._

_Her skin was warm and soft, and she smelled wonderful. Ranma didn't want to pull away but he knew he had to. What he didn't know was how much he had hurt her. He couldn't have known._

_Akane closed her eyes and looked away. Ranma let go of her shoulders and the rest after that became another empty, colorful blur._

_Inside, Ranma felt about the same. _

_End Part Two._

I hope it doesn't suck, and that you like it! More to come, I'm writing every spare moment.

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	3. Part Three

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback___

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Three.

_For a wedding, it was a bit on the sad side. There seemed to be a invisible barrier between the pair that had supposedly just been bound together forever. Akane was dancing with her father, another American tradition insisted upon by Kasumi. Ranma stood off to one side of the room, apart from the rest, his hands in his pockets, watching her, silently praying he hadn't made a terrible mistake._

_Nabiki sauntered over to him, but there might have been something there under her usual mask. Was it concern? Ranma couldn't be sure, and couldn't be bothered to care for the moment. Nabiki brushed past being ignored, as usual, and got right to the point._

_"What's eating you, Saotome? You're a married man now, but besides the obvious…" she trailed off, turned to the rest of the room, and took a sip of champagne._

_"Nothing really, Nabiki," he answered through clenched teeth. "Just that nagging feeling that I've screwed everything up beyond fixing. Nothing special." He continued to watch Akane and her father. _

_She looked happy enough until you looked past the smile that wouldn't meet her eyes._

_"What are you talking about? You just married the girl you're crazy about. Don't deny it, everybody knows it by now."_

_"I wasn't going to say a thing, Nabiki," Ranma replied evenly._

_Nabiki was a bit ruffled, to say the least. She never showed it, of course._

_"Well at least we've improved some in that department," she commented dryly, scanning the room again, watching Akane as well. "I would assume everything was fine and dandy if you and my sister didn't look so damn depressed."_

_"I don't expect you to understand Nabiki," Ranma sighed. "So I figure it's best not to waste my breath." He moved as if to leave. Nabiki grabbed his arm, and Ranma, being in no mood to resist anything really at this point, just sighed louder but didn't turn back. "What."_

_"You and my sister are crazy for each other, this is your wedding, don't you 'what' me, I want to know what the hell is going on."_

_"That's exactly what you don't understand, Nabiki," Ranma finished, easily shaking his arm from her grasp. "She married me because the 'joining the houses' act got old, just like my mom said. She married me because it's a tired scene around her and we're both sick of it. Love had nothing to do with it."_

_"What in the hell are you talking about?! You just said-"_

_"I never said I was the one who doesn't love who they married." Nabiki was too stunned to stop him from walking away._

_::What is going on? Doesn't he know how much Akane cares for him?:: But the retreating figure left no room for doubt, and Nabiki wasn't one to argue the obvious._

_::This is ridiculous.::_

_*           *           *_

_"Get on with it, son!" Nodoka hissed threateningly, shoving Ranma out into the middle of the room where Akane still stood from her dance with her father. Despite how miserable he had been feeling the whole time, Ranma still found a way to be flustered and nervous when he approached her for the first time since he had unknowingly shattered her heart._

_"The bride and groom will now share their first dance," some random guy playing the music announced. Ranma's heart just beat faster._

_Akane looked sad but she tried to hide it with a smile, knowing well enough Ranma could see right through it. But by now she was done smiling for him. It was for the people in the room desperate to believe that they were in love. Well, they were half right, she knew. _

_Ranma shakily took her hands in his again, placing one on his shoulder. He wrapped one of his around her waist, and clasped the other tightly around hers. Before he could stop to think about how he wished he could be this close to her all the time, music started._

_He wasn't really paying attention to the song or what he was doing, and neither was she. The slow rhythm making Akane braver, without even knowing why, she let go of his hand and reached it up around his neck to meet the other. Following her lead, Ranma pulled her closer to him, moving the hand she had held to rest in the middle of her back. Akane's face was against his now, and he couldn't concentrate on anything else. Every time he got close to her he couldn't help but forget everything that he had been thinking about and replace it with that feeble hope that it wasn't just him who was in love with her…_

_He had to say it. He had to tell her before it was too late._

_He tried to even out his breathing and get his voice to work, but it wasn't cooperating. All he could manage was a quiet whisper in her ear._

_"Akane… I…"_

_Why was it so hard? Why did he feel like he was giving in too?_

_"I… I'm so sorry…"_

_Akane pulled her face back and looked straight at him; into his eyes for the first time since he had lifted her veil._

_She wanted so badly for him to tell her what she needed to hear. She had lost hope when he had turned her face and kissed her on the cheek… was it so terrible to marry her? But she felt it coming back full force when she looked into those blue eyes that looked so sad and afraid and… there was still that one thing she couldn't identify. She needed to know._

_"I'm sorry," he said again. _

_She wasn't sure what he meant, why should he be sorry? Was he sorry he had married her, or was he sorry he hadn't kissed her? Sorry that nothing ever worked out for them or sorry that he still hadn't said it?_

_Maybe it was because they were both so confused and lost and felt so desperate to say what neither of them had, but neither was sure who moved forwards first. All either of them could be sure of was that suddenly their faces were so close for the second time that night, but there was something different this time… Everyone in the room had practically stopped what they were doing but neither of them was aware and they had stopped swaying to the music and this was the closest they had ever been… Akane's eyes fluttered closed and they were so close…_

_There was a crashing sound as a figure fell through the roof, landing right in front of them. Akane's eyes snapped open and they jumped apart again. If you were listening for it, there was an audible, very exasperated sigh from the others in the room_

_The figure stood, masked by the dust and chipped plaster, but there was no mistaking the shadow of that giant fighting spatula._

_"What in the blue hell is going on?!" Ukyou demanded in a dangerous voice._

_End Part Three._

Hehe, aren't I evil, a cliffhanger! That's all I've got time for tonight, but first thing tomorrow you can bet on more!

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	4. Part Four

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Four.

_Everyone in the room was still. They all looked to the middle of the dance floor, where Ukyou stood, facing off a shocked Akane and a ticked Ranma. No one spoke for quite awhile. Ukyou began to get irritated with the lack of response._

_She repeated herself._

_"What in the blue hell is going on here?"_

_Akane, no matter how shocked she was, had to admit that was a rather stupid question, considering the circumstances, and the way she was dressed. Besides, if Ukyou had managed to find them, she must have already known. _

_"What do you think, Ukyou?" Ranma was the first to speak up._

_Ukyou didn't miss the lack of her pet name._

_"I've told you before, and I'll tell you again," Ukyou hissed dangerously, advancing on the pair. "There is no way you're going to marry that sorry excuse for a girl."_

_"Hey!" Akane snapped, "I'm not the one who dressed like a boy for ten-" but Ranma cut her off, looking angrier by the minute._

_"That's where you're wrong Ukyou. Since when is it up to you who I marry? I'll marry whoever the hell I feel like! Stay out of it!"_

_"Is that so?" Ukyou sneered, catching Ranma in the verbal slip she had been counting on. "I have a feeling this wedding had nothing to do with the two of you, just the same as the others. Am I right?"_

_Looking quite like a mouse backed into a corner, Ranma found himself facing all the doubts that had made his life for the past day a living hell. This was stupid. The fiancé thing was getting old, and it should be over with anyway, he was married now. It sure didn't feel any different, though._

_Ranma narrowed his eyes. "That's beside the point, Ukyou. You would have come barging in here either way, wouldn't you? I don't care what you say, this has nothing to do with you! I'll say it again, stay out of it."_

_"No! I won't stay out of it! You owe me an okonomiyaki cart or a ring, sugar, and I'm sick of waiting for one!"_

_"Stop involving me in something I had nothing to do with! That was my father's fault, and you know that. There is no way I would marry you, Ukyou. Especially not after what you did the last time this happened." _

_"I was only trying to keep you from doing something you'd regret forever!" Ukyou was starting to sound desperate and childish. "Ran-chan, listen-"_

_"Don't call me that! You called me that when we used to be friends, when I used to be able to depend on you to trust. Well you know what, you might have screwed that trust up just a little bit last time," he shouted sarcastically. "It doesn't matter what you do, anyway. This time you just weren't quick enough. And you know what? Somehow, that doesn't really bother me."_

_Ukyou looked crushed. Akane wasn't really sure what to think. Had Ukyou really been that dense?_

_::I used to accuse Ranma of leading them all on, but that was ages ago, this is just stupid,:: she thought._

_"So that's it?" she asked in a small voice._

_::Great, now she's pulling the 'I'm Such a Poor Little Girl, Pity Me' act. Please.::_

_Ranma just glared at her._

_"You don't love me?"_

_"Ukyou, when did I ever say I loved you? We were friends, nothing more. Or at least, we **were friends. I thought we were. But the whole time you were just trying to get an easy in, weren't you? You knew if you played a friend to me, if something didn't work out right, you'd be the person I'd turn to, because that's what real friends are supposed to be for. But you never really listened, did you? And we never really were real friends, I can see that now. Think about it Ukyou. If I can't even trust you to be my friend, how do you expect me to love you?"**_

_The room got very quiet again. Akane watched Ranma, looking relieved in spite of herself. Ukyou stared hard at the floor._

_"I understand," she said, turning to go._

_"No," Ranma said sadly. "No, you don't."_

_::No one does:: Ranma realized. _

_Ukyou didn't bother to correct him, because she knew he was right._

_There was only one last thing she had to know. And it wasn't about her anymore._

_"Why her?"___

_Ranma found he couldn't answer. He knew why, but he knew he couldn't say. He couldn't do that to Akane. It wasn't fair._

_"Please don't, Ukyou," he begged simply._

_"I don't think I'm the only one who deserves to know!" Ukyou finished, her eyes resting on Akane._

_Akane, at that moment, realized she still didn't know. She wanted to know. She needed to know. Why wouldn't he tell her?_

_"Ranma," she began quietly._

_He turned to her, looking more pained than ever. _

_::Oh Ranma, if this is hurting you so badly, why are you doing it?::_

_"Why did you marry me?"_

_ He couldn't look at her. So he turned away. Again._

_"Ranma, why?"___

_"I can't," he managed to choke out._

_"Can't what?"_

_"I can't tell you. I can't."_

_Akane didn't understand. What was so complicated? Was it because…_

_"Why not, Ranma?__ Why do you have to make something so simple so complicated? Why do you always have to mess things up when you don't have to? Did you even think about what I was feeling?"_

_Ranma lowered his head. ::More than anything else:: he wanted to say._

_"I get it," Akane was regressing again. She was letting herself get angry. Because she didn't understand. Why wouldn't he let her understand?_

_"You married me because you had to, didn't you?"_

_At this, Genma and Soun chose this moment to  make themselves scarce, and as Nodoka was too preoccupied with the scene playing out before her, she didn't bother to try and stop them. Ukyou had a look on her face that seemed to say she hadn't quite been expecting this, even if it could have been in her favor. But she knew it wasn't._

_Akane clenched her fists at her sides, glowering at Ranma, though he wasn't looking at her. He just stood there, his back to her, looking uncharacteristically hopeless, his shoulders slumped, his arms hanging numbly at his sides, no arrogant, easy confidence that he usually had._

_"Well I've had enough. If you're only willing to marry me for honor; if you're going to be that heartless and cruel, that selfish…"_

_"Akane, I-"_

_"Enough!" Akane shouted, starting to cry. "I'm not listening to excuses anymore, they don't mean anything anyway." She turned around, she couldn't look at him and say this._

_"I hate you."_

_Ranma looked as if he had been stabbed. Nodoka felt the same._

_::Kamisama… What have I done?:: she thought. The only person who felt any more guilty than she was her son._

_"And it was supposed to be our wedding day. Not that I'm surprised," she whispered through her tears._

_She ran out the door. _

_Soun had started the waterworks again. Ranma hadn't bothered to move, and by now a red-headed girl, in a blue tuxedo that was too big for her, that made her look even smaller than she felt, stood where a tall, dark-haired young man once had. She found she didn't care very much. At her feet was a bouquet of flowers that Akane had dropped when she left. She just stared at it, not really seeing it._

_"Ranma?"__ Ukyou began tentatively, reaching out a hand to her._

_Ranma shrugged her off roughly, not looking at anyone. _

_"Leave me alone, Ukyou," she said tonelessly. "Don't ever touch me again. I really tried to expect better of you, after the last wedding. I was wrong. Am I ever right?"_

_Ukyou knew that wasn't meant as a question. So she left. She had no place there anymore._

_*           *           *_

_Ranma walked up the stairs as soon as he got home. He hadn't bothered talking to anyone; he didn't want to have to deal with pacifying voices and vacant words right now. They weren't worth anything._

_Nabiki only looked stiff, but no emotion passed over her carefully controlled face. Kasumi looked worried, but knew when talking was useless. _

_::I hope things aren't damaged beyond repair.:: _

_It was all anyone could hope for at the moment._

_Ranma, passing Akane's room, hears the muffled sound of sobs coming from the other side of the door. He had heard that sound too many times to count, but this one hurt the most. He cringed with the pain of holding everything back and laid his fingers gently on the wood._

_::When did everything go so wrong? Didn't I do the right thing?::_

_Not finding any answers from a cold door to an unwelcoming room, he choked on his words._

_"I'm so sorry," he whispered._

_Akane heard him, just barely. _

_Sitting up from where she lay on her bed, she chucked her pillow at the door._

_::Not as sorry as I am.::_

_End Part Four._

I'm really sorry, but the website was being all whacky, and it wouldn't let me post the fourth part, so I had to remove my first three posts and start over again, so my reviews are gone! Minna-san, gomen nasai! I'm really sorry to those of you who took the time to review for me, I always appreciate them, and I wish the thing had been working!

So, here is the next part, after the trouble to get to that point.

The endless flashback will be over in the next part, I _swear! And so will the depressing stuff! Well, actually, you'll have to wait and find out, but I swear it'll get better!_

Flameraven: Yes, Ukyou found out through Ryoga. I figured she might have found him wandering 

somewhere and he blabbed. I don't plan on bringing him into it anymore, nor Ukyou, so I didn't really get into details.

I hope those of you who started out reading aren't going to abandon it, I promise it will stop being so depressing once the main action comes in. *laughs evilly* That's right, the main action has only just begun!

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	5. Part Five

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Five.

_Ranma sits in his room, packing shirts into his old rucksack, the room looking cleaner than usual without the usual clutter, which has already been packed away._

_::I thought about her tonight. All night. In every small motion I made and every robotic gesture. In every forced word and ever poker-faced smile. And even in all that time and all those incidences I could only think of one thing, and that was how sorry I am that I married her at all. How could she ever be happy this way?::_

_Ranma folds the last shirt, tucks it into the backpack, and sighs resignedly, leaning back against the futons in the corner. Pulling his knees to his chest, he stares at the bag._

_::Looking back, the whole thing was so fake and forced, I have to wonder if the others could tell, or if they just ignored it on purpose. It's only now, sitting in my room alone, in the middle of the night, that I realize it was supposed to have been my wedding.::_

_Ranma almost felt like laughing out loud, for no reason at all. _

_Although, in retrospect, he couldn't remember if he had, or if he had ended up crying instead._

_*           *           *_

_Akane, now dressed in pajamas, her elegant hairstyle falling out of it's pins, her face washed, and all the general flashiness removed, padded down the stairs at __3 am__._

_::Something hot to drink sounds nice.::_

_After making herself a pot of tea, she sat awhile and drank some. She didn't finish. It had gotten cold anyway._

_She shuffled back up the stairs to return to her room._

_Akane felt her way blindly down the hall, feeling rather dejected, and altogether tired. Not tired like she needed more sleep, she had been trying that for the past few pointless hours; tired. Tired of the fights, the bickering, the stupid misunderstandings. Tired of resisting. Tired of pretending. Tired of running away. Tired of getting angry because it was easy._

_Tired._

_Unconsciously passing the guest room where Ranma and his father slept, Akane would have kept walking if a small, muffled sound hadn't caught her ears._

_::What was that?::_

_She now noticed the door was slightly ajar. Opening it, she peeked inside, not making a sound. There was something about the room that didn't look quite right. _

_Ranma's father was absent from the room, but that was because he was out with her father, the hapless pair no doubt out getting hopelessly drunk at any local sake bar likely to admit a panda and a walking, talking leaky pipe. There were more in Nerima than a normal person cared to know._

_Being so emotionally exhausted, and just as fed up with just about everything, it took her a minute or two to actually put her finger on it._

_The room was immaculately tidy, something Kasumi would have done, if she ever did that sort of thing in the middle of the night. Saotome-san's things were all in place, he chose to be a slob elsewhere in the house, but it was Ranma's things that first caught her eye. What few belongings he did have were packed into his familiar rucksack, the one he always brought on those bizarre training trips. Aside from that she could see there were none of this other things spread around the room that looked so foreign now that it looked as it had before Ranma had come stumbling awkwardly into her life._

_He usually left most of it behind, because there's no use to take everything when you're coming back._

_But she knew that everything was there, in that worn bag._

_Trying to ignore the nagging feeling that sight had instilled within her, Akane scanned the rest of the room. Her eyes fell on Ranma. She hadn't even noticed him before then._

_If she had still had that cup of tea, she would have dropped it._

_Ranma was in a corner of the room, by the stacked futons, his knees pulled tightly to him, arms around them, chin resting on his arms. He was almost curled into a ball, just sitting there, everything in his posture shouting at her to do something, anything but just stand there like a gaping idiot. _

_She made a motion as if to move forwards, to cross the room, but she stopped when she heard his voice. He still didn't seem to have noticed her._

_"Baka," he whispered to no one in particular._

_Akane tensed. ::Honestly, after all that, he still has the gall to insult me?! Ranma no-::_

_"Baka," he said again, finishing her thought. "I'm such a stupid, stupid baka! Why can't I ever think before I open my stupid, big mouth? I'm such an idiot, and she hates me for it. Honestly, can I blame her for it? No, I'd hate me too. I treat her like crap, and I always expect "it was just a joke" to fix everything. I'm just a lost fool and I can't get over her no matter how hard I try."_

_::Get over me? Does he really think I hate him? No, Ranma, I don't… Don't think such a sad thing…::_

_"Coward…" it was such a small whisper, she could barely hear him. His shoulders were shaking now, he was holding something back. His voice was so tight, she could tell he was doing his best not to cry. He moved his hands to bury his forehead in his palms, his elbows on his knees, raking his fingers through his bangs feebly._

_"I'm such a coward."_

For the first time since Jusenkyo, and only the second time since he came to live with the Tendos, Ranma cried.

Akane heard the tears hitting the tatami mat and nothing else. Ranma didn't make any sound, just shut his eyes tightly, trying to block out the fact that, in his mind, he'd given in to some dark weakness.

Akane moved a trembling hand to reach for the doorway, missed twice, and finally got a hold of it, pressing her back against it, looking at Ranma's curled form.

Finally, she heard Ranma make a small, muffled choking sound, and hearing the pain in it, Akane arched her back, feeling the same within her, and not knowing why. She slid down the door, her view of his back blurred and swimming with her own tears.

Neither of them was exactly sure why they were crying, but they did just the same. Although they were sitting feet apart, it was the closest they had come since Akane entered the room just hours before. Before everything somehow was lost along the way. 

Although Ranma wasn't aware that Akane was behind him, she felt just as alone as if he weren't there at all. Akane didn't understand why he felt so alone.

::I'm still here, aren't I?::

But upon recalling the previous events of that evening, she realized the flaw in that.

The two of them sat on the floor for an indiscriminate amount of time. 

Akane only stirred when Ranma tucked her covers around her shoulders later that night, laying a handwritten note beside her head on the pillow. 

It was only then that Akane reached a small hand groggily up to touch his face; how she was even aware he was there, Ranma couldn't tell. Her eyes still fluttered softly between sleep and awareness, and Ranma closed his eyes and turned away.

Her fingers only brushed against the cold night air that seeped through the crack in the window.

End Part Five.

I'm really sorry to have to say this, but the crazy site wouldn't let me update to include part 4, so I ended up having to delete the whole thing and repost all over again. So that's why the reviews disappeared and the publish date changed. Sorry for the confusion, but I hope it'll let me post this one! Damn computer! *whacks it*

But I digress.

I know, that was a shit-load of flashback, but it's finally over! *does the wave for no good reason*

Ok, sorry about that. But I was hoping the narrative loop wouldn't confuse people, I start in present, shift to flashback, then looped back around to where I started and picked up from there. Why I always do whacked out things like this, I really couldn't say.

Sorry for all the trouble, it sucked.

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	6. Part Six

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback___

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Six.

Akane's cup of tea from the night before is still in the kitchen that morning, cold and stale and smelling of 6:17 am.

Plodding downstairs for the second time in the past few hours, Akane once again heads for the kitchen.

She is a bit confused to find the occupied.

Walking in, oddly enough it is to find Kasumi standing at the counter with her own tea cup before her. It seems Akane wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep last night.

"Kasumi-oneechan?"

"Ara, Akane. What are you doing up at this time of night?" Kasumi asked, sounding startled, but tired.

"Er, nothing really, I was just thinking some tea might help me sleep better," Akane lied.

Kasumi nodded benignly and moved a hand towards the steaming tea pot that sat next to the cutting board. Akane moved towards the leftover from before instead. Her face is reflected in it, cold and bland and full of yesterday's problems and today's lack of solutions. 

"Oh, was that yours? I was about to wash it out." Akane didn't say anything.

Silence presides for the better part of the next six minutes.

"I didn't even hear you in the kitchen. You're so quiet, Kasumi-oneechan," Akane said suddenly, more to fill the pressing silence than anything else.

The note in her hands is dry; no tears, but her eyes are too dark and lost and bare to cry anyway.

Kasumi, already aware of what the note was sure to say, and of the empty room upstairs, doesn't run to the others to announce who is missing, as she did the last time, when Ranma had left to earn his strength back. That felt like so long ago. She simply walks up behind Akane and puts her arms around her from behind, leaning her head on Akane's shoulder. Akane's whole body shudders with suppressed agony.

"I wanted… I wanted to ask him…"

"I know," Kasumi murmurs soothingly.

"No… You don't. That was before. Tonight, all I wanted to ask… was… was…"

The teacup shatters on the floor, the bitter water separated from the diluted dregs, dirtying Akane's

reflection on the clean floor.

"Oh, Ranma…" Akane twisted her ring, but didn't remove it. "Why did you marry me?"

*           *           *

Ranma sat in the park. The park that he had frequented with Akane, and many of the other bizarre characters in his life. He had wanted one last look at all the familiar places before he left for good. 

He didn't plan on returning, why else would he pack all he had?

Hopping up onto the fence he used to walk every morning, before Jusenkyo, he stepped along the clanging steel bar, something he could probably do blindfolded by now.

Why had he stopped walking up here since he went to China? He really couldn't recall. 

::Of course,:: he reminded himself. ::Akane.::

After Jusenkyo he had experienced something he never wanted to again, not after what had almost happened back in China… After he had almost lost her… He had felt fear every time something little separated him from her… He still had nightmares sometimes, when he would wake up in the middle of the night, his covers a mess, whispering her name that he had been screaming in his dream. Because in those dreams, no matter how hard he shook her, no matter how he begged her, she didn't wake up. 

Even little, silly things that seemingly weren't worth the thought, or at least they hadn't been until then. Like walking beside her instead of up here. 

He missed being close to her. He missed having an excuse to brush his fingers against hers as they walked in close vicinity of one another, pretending it was an accident. He missed looking sideways at her when she was preoccupied, and he missed the clear, strong sound of her voice, even if she was usually yelling at him.

He was just stalling now. And he knew it.

*           *           *

Akane was breaking bricks in the back garden.

So what if it was a little past 7? She could care less if she was keeping Nabiki from her beauty sleep. She was frustrated, angry, full of pent up manic energy… But mostly afraid.

::He's not coming back, is he?::

Akane ignored her nagging doubts and just hit the bricks harder until a cloud of dust and chalk surrounded her.

Breathing heavily, and preoccupied with worries of Ranma and the day before, she didn't hear the soft swish of heavy metal through the still morning air. Only when the slicing pain cut across her side, when she collapsed to the grass, the wind knocked out of her and sporting a nasty gash across her side, did she turn to find Shampoo crouching on her garden wall, one menacing bonbori outstretched.

"Sh… Shampoo…" she coughed, spitting up a bit of blood.

"That right, kitchen-wrecking pervert girl," smirked Shampoo, a murderous gleam in her eyes. "Shampoo come get rid of last obstacle for good. Should have done this long time ago." 

She accentuated her remark by striking again. Akane only barely dodged it, rolling across the grass. Stumbling to her feet, clutching her side with one hand and her other extended in a battle stance, Akane readied herself for another attack.

"You're mistaken, Shampoo," she sneered coldly. "You're too late, but so am I. Ranma and I have already married. But he's long gone by now."

Shampoo looked as if she didn't understand at first. Then her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Shampoo not believe pervert girl. She lie. Airen no leave. And no way Airen marry violent pervert kitchen-wrecking girl," she laughed dumbly.

"Well, he did, no matter what you say," Akane raised her voice, a touch of pride in it. Then she realized she had no reason to be proud of it, not any more. He'd left, hadn't he? 

Then why did she feel as if he were still close to her?

*           *           *

::Come on, now. You haven't got a reason to stall anymore,:: Ranma's mind told him. Akane's face swam before him in response. He shook his head, trying to clear it. ::Enough. It won't do any good torturing yourself.::

When he lifted his head he caught sight of something strange.

Shampoo was flitting through the early-morning shadows in the direction of the Tendo house. Now, there was nothing unusual about this, except for the fact that she was carrying her bonbori. 

She hadn't carried those with her since she had stopped trying to kill him. Bonbori were only meant for one purpose, he remembered bitterly, and that was to work as a kind of mace, and bludgeon the opponent over the head. Ranma swallowed nervously. 

This was not good.

And so he followed, trying to ignore the fact that he was probably using this as an excuse to stall even longer.

But something just didn't feel right.

*           *           *

Akane screamed again as Shampoo delivered a deadly upper cut with one of her bonbori, barely missing her chin.

::When did she start using those again? Those things are seriously dangerous, she wouldn't use those unless…::

Akane froze.

::Unless… she really is serious… Unless she really is trying to-::

Shampoo was gathering a monstrous amount of violently red ki between her hands, the bonbori tossed aside.

::Oh no.::

Shampoo was laughing. A cold, bitter laugh that held none of the usual playfulness in it. She wasn't just fighting with Akane over some silly little right to time with Ranma, or anything menial like that, no, this was beyond their typical sadistic teasing.

She was out to kill.

*           *           *

The sounds of a fight reached Ranma's ears as he made his concealed way towards the Tendo house. 

::Kami-sama, why did I come back here?::

But that feeling of dread refused to go away.

He could hear the telltale clang and slice of Shampoo's bonbori. 

::What is she going picking a fight with Akane for? Doesn't she know that we already-::

Ranma stopped suddenly. A shrill scream pierced the air. It shook him to the core, and he knew that scream far too well.

::She knows. And she's going to kill her.::

Ranma, of all times to freeze up, found he couldn't move. 

::RUN.::

He ran. 

Vaulting the wall, he was just in time to see Shampoo release a gargantuan ball of fiery red ki straight towards Akane. 

All he could think was ::Block it, Get in front of her and block it, for the love of Kami run!::

He shoved past Shampoo, running faster than he had ever run in his life and it still felt agonizingly slow.

"AKANE!" he screamed, taking a running jump right in its path.

*           *           *

Before Akane could react, Shampoo was releasing the blazing ball, and it was coming right at her. She couldn't get her lungs to force out a scream.

She was feeling faint from the sense of panic that was spreading through her body like fire, shouting at her to run, but her legs felt as heavy as lead and she couldn't move a muscle. Strangely enough, she wondered if this was what a deer in headlights felt like.

She was almost sure she heard someone scream her name, and it sounded like Ranma. For a split second, her heart lifted, but it was then that the hot, burning, swirling mass overtook her and darkness enveloped her senses.

*           *           *

Ranma was, when it most mattered, a fraction of a second too late.

As he watched, horrified, Akane dissolve into the flaming ki, he could have sworn he felt his heart shoot straight up his throat. The minute, tiny piece of a moment that passed between when he hit the ground right where she had been standing and when she crumpled to the grass beside him felt so small it was almost as if there had been no time gap at all.

Ranma, at that moment, crazily found he understood what those Olympic runners must feel like when they lost a race by thousandths of one second. It wasn't enough time to do anything, but there was just enough to lose everything.

But Ranma couldn't feel anything at all. He was numb all over as he feebly shook Akane, pleading with her to open her eyes.

He shouted her name again, getting no response.

It was the most sickening and horrific sense of déjà-vu he had ever experienced.

End Part Six.

Muahahahaha, another evil cliffhanger. Hint: I don't plan on killing anyone off. That's all I'll say! *winks covertly*

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	7. Part Seven

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Seven.

Akane wouldn't move. She looked so stiff. 

He was reminded of when the Ginkajan had turned her into that little doll. But she had smiled at him then. Kami, how he needed to see he smile now.

"Someone call Toufuu-sensei, quick!" Ranma shouted, not really sure what to do. A hospital wouldn't even know where to begin with a ki attack, and no doubt they were running out of precious time, if they even had any. They'd waste it answering questions. They needed Toufuu, at least he knew enough about pressure points and ki flow. Her skin looked too pale. This was beyond bad.

 "Come on, Akane, don't give up on me!" 

Kasumi had run out into the yard by now, and was gazing on in a kind of shocked disbelief at the prone form of her sister. Tendo-san and Ranma's father were still out, thankfully, as Soun would likely have flooded the back garden, and that was the last thing anyone needed right now. Kasumi did as Ranma told her, running into the house to the phone.

Nabiki sauntered out into the hall to stop her. She looked considerably less collected than usual. Placing a hand on her older sister's arm as she reached for the receiver, she cleared her throat dryly.

"Maybe you'd better let me make the call, Kasumi," she said evenly.

Ranma slowly turned to Shampoo. He wasn't quite sure what to think, he was a bit stunned. There wasn't really anything to say. 

Shampoo knew she had crossed the line now, if she hadn't done so ages before. The point of no return. And she knew there was nothing that she could say to repair the damage. In retrospect, now that the momentary rush of desperate adrenaline was quenched, she found it hard to take in what she had planned to do. She really didn't want to kill Akane. She considered her a fair competitor, not a recyclable obstacle. She suddenly felt very hollow.

She turned and left. Not for the Nekohanten, returning to Cologne now, maybe ever, was not an option. She needed some time to herself to think things over. Ranma didn't think to stop her. That was a matter to be settled between himself and Shampoo. But the time for that wasn't now.

"Ranma!" Nabiki's voice wafted in from the house. "Toufuu-sensei says to bring her to the clinic. It's too serious to take care of here."

Ranma carefully lifted Akane's limp body from the grass and took to the rooftops of Nerima.

*           *           *

"This is far more serious than I had expected," Toufuu murmured to himself as he gently poked and prodded at Akane's lifeless figure. Kasumi had been told to stay at home, naturally, and Nabiki hovered in the doorway, observing tersely. Ranma couldn't stand still, but he did his best to stay out of the doctor's way.

"Is there anything you can do for her, sensei?" Nabiki inquired a little too calmly for Ranma's liking.

"I'm not sure yet, all I can do for now is restore her ki flow, it's much too low… That should stabilize her for now, but as for the long-term…" he trailed off, unsure. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"But I've gotten blasted by ki attacks hundreds of times, and that wasn't a problem!" Ranma protested.

"But this is much more serious, Ranma-kun. I'm sure you can see that. And it's an unusual type of attack, and a pattern of ki damage I'm not familiar with… Look along her arms-" he indicated the marks on Akane's arms. "-There aren't any burns, like a normal ki attack… They're more like tiny, intricate incisions, so small you can barely see them… Usually, when you come in with ki damage, they're burns, not cuts. This is peculiar indeed."

Ranma wasn't sure what this meant. Did it mean that Toufuu-sensei couldn't help her? Would she…

"Sensei…" he whispered, afraid of the answer he'd get, "Is she going to… She won't…"

"I'm sorry to say, Ranma-kun, but I have no way to be sure right now. Her breathing so far has been normal, if a bit shallow, and her pulse is only slightly irregular. I've restored her ki flow with some pressure points, so I'm sure she'll make it through the night."

This was unreal. Ranma wasn't used to hearing Toufuu-sensei talk in such a professional manner. This could mean, he supposed, one of two things; either he really couldn't tell for sure and was as worried as the rest of them and as reluctant to show it, or the harm was far worse than he was letting on and there really wasn't anything to be done.

Ranma swallowed hard and tried not to think about the latter possibility.

*           *           *

It wasn't until a little after noon that Toufuu was finished examining Akane and taking notes on her conditions and scarring. Ranma sat in a chair in a corner of the room, miraculously, the entire time.

"Well, Ranma-kun," Toufuu sighed heavily, closing his notepad and capping his pen mechanically, looking strained. "That's all I can do for her for now. I'm going to go to my study and try to find all I can on Amazon ki techniques and their effects. As for the rest of you, I would just sit in the waiting room for awhile, try to relax, maybe read a magazine, go grab something to eat, do whatever you can to keep yourselves busy. Other than that," he laid a hand on Ranma's shoulder kindly. "All I can tell you is to try and calm down."

"I'm fine," Ranma replied brusquely, slightly contradicting the fact that he had started when Toufuu had addressed him.

"Please, Ranma-kun. There's nothing more to be done for now."

"Hai, sensei," he sighed, moving to the door.

"Oh, and Ranma-kun?"

Ranma turned, looking rather worn out. "Hai?"

"Sorry I couldn't make it."

Ranma turned his head to one side, not sure what Toufuu meant.

"To the wedding."

Ranma merely nodded, then looked at the floor, turning and shutting the door behind him.

*           *           *

Slouching into the sofa in the outer waiting room beside Nabiki, who was flipping tiredly through a business magazine, Ranma sighed resignedly for about the fiftieth time since the night before.

Nabiki, slightly more irritable when her nerves were stretched as tight as they currently were, glanced sideways at him, annoyed.

"Honestly Ranma, relax. Toufuu is the best."

Ranma didn't say anything, leaning his elbows on his knees and running his hands through his hair, also not for the first time.

"Hey," Nabiki said, sounding strangely comforting, putting a hand on Ranma's arm. "It's OK."  

"No, not really," Ranma said quietly.

"You came back, didn't you? That's what matters. Forget about it."

Ranma laughed wryly. "No, I can't just forget about it. It's not that easy."

"Well, it should be."

"Well, it isn't."

"So make it!"

"This is stupid," Ranma muttered, more to himself than to Nabiki.

"And so are you," Nabiki retorted hotly. "Ok, so let's not forget about it. Let's talk about your reasons for doing so in the first place, shall we? Because to tell you the truth, I think I deserve to know."

"You? Why would I tell you? And why haven't you charged me for anything lately?"

"Moi? That's no way to talk to your sister-in-law! I'm offended."

"Right." Ranma somehow found the energy to roll his eyes.

"Anyhow, Akane should know. And since she isn't exactly available right now, I think you need to tell someone. So tell me. I think you need someone to listen, don't you?"

Ranma mulled it over in his mind. He was really too tired to give a damn, and he really did need to get some of it off his chest. Removing his hands from where he had been tangling them in his bangs, he clasped them together in his lap, following the straw patterns on the tatami mat floor as he began.

"I think I've made a terrible mistake."

"Elaborate."

"I don't think it was right for me to marry Akane. I really don't."

Nabiki looked, to put it lightly, vexed. "What are you talking about? Everybody knows that you-"

"I know it too, Nabiki!" he interrupted. "Don't think I don't know that I…" he was wringing his hands now. "…That I love her. I do." 

Nabiki visibly relaxed. "So what's the problem then?"

"It wasn't fair to Akane. I know she agreed to it just like my mom said, the "joining the houses" act got old. It did for me too. But that wasn't why I went along with it. And I feel really selfish for doing that to her. She didn't want it, and I just followed along with it because it was what I wanted. She was right when she said I didn't think of how she felt. It was a stupid thing to do, but it's too late now. And I know that telling her that I'm sorry wasn't enough. How could it be? She's stuck with me now, basically. Honestly, I can't blame her for hating me more than ever. I'd hate it too. And I'm starting to hate myself for doing it too."

Nabiki would have interjected again if she hadn't been so stunned by what she was hearing.

::He can't be that blind.::

But looking back on Ranma and Akane's history together, ::Yes,:: she revised, ::He can. But so could she. That's the most ridiculous and frustrating part.::

"I don't know what to do anymore," Ranma was saying. "It's kind of late to be rethinking things, but I don't know what to feel. I really did want to marry her, Nabiki. I did. But I couldn't tell her, because she always tries so hard to make everyone but herself happy. I knew she would go along with it because that's what she does. Kami-sama, I wish she wouldn't do that."

He fiddled with his ring. It still felt a bit foreign, but it didn't feel wrong at all.

"I just wanted so bad to love her."

Nabiki gathered herself together fairly quickly. 

"So love her."

Ranma turned to her.

"You two are always so busy getting in your own way to see that you're both crazy about each other. She…" Nabiki paused. Maybe it was best to leave the L-word to Akane. "She cares for you. Very much. As much as you care for her. That's why she married you. You left. So, that's not so great. But you came back. She doesn't know. But you should at least tell her. Let her know how you feel, let her know that you came back for her, just like you always do. She needs to hear it. And I know you need to hear this from her."

Ranma's expression wasn't easy to read.

"So just love her. With all your heart and soul. Because everyone knows that's what your best at, Ranma. And that, brother-in-law, comes without a price."

"Nabiki-" Ranma started.

"Psh, don't thank me. Someone had to do it."

"Ranma-kun?"

Toufuu-sensei had reemerged from his office.

"Sensei? What is it?"

"I was looking over Akane's lesions again, as a reference to the Amazon ki attack descriptions I was reading, when I noticed something strange." Ranma had followed Toufuu back into the room where Akane had been left to recover, and the two were standing on the side of her bed now.

"This-" Toufuu brushed some hair away from Akane's neck and shoulders, and pointed to a much more serious cut along the side of her neck. Ranma inhaled sharply. That was cut was deep. "-incision is much deeper and cleaner than the others along her arms and shoulders. It served as an objective for the ki attack, therefore striking the hardest, and much more severely."

"What does it mean? Is it-"

"I found this-" Toufuu opened the book he had carried in under his arm to a marked page and showed Ranma a specific passage. "-In an ancient scroll on Amazon attacks, mainly the ones intended for murder." Ranma held back a shudder. "This book contains the only known translation. Apparently the attack Shampoo used on Akane was this one here… the Kire no Shi, or "The Slice of Death." It slices the victim cleanly along the intended area, and from the enormous amount of ki it takes to summon one, it only deposits a fraction of that amount into the victim."

"You mean-" This was sounding worse by the minute.

"It entered Akane's bloodstream through her main artery, here." He traced a line across her neck. "I have no way to determine how much managed to enter her system, but I can estimate that, worst case scenario, she doesn't have more than three days. By tomorrow evening it will have slowly penetrated her body's defenses, and she most likely will fall into a coma. After that, it's only a matter of time."

Ranma slumped into the chair, overwhelmed.

"You mean… she… she'll…"

"I'm sorry, Ranma. That's all I've been able to find. I'm not even sure there's a cure."

"A cure…" Ranma's thoughts were swimming in circles. He slowly rose from the chair.

Apparently, desperate times called for a visit to a certain ramen shop.

End Part Seven.

To clear up some confusion:

This fic is post 38th manga.

I know that Toufuu-sensei leaves in the manga, and I haven't seen enough of the anime (no further than season four) to know if he does the same there, but I decided to keep him for my purposes. Besides, a hospital, like Ranma thinks in the beginning, probably wouldn't be the best option.

Shampoo resorts to a desperate maneuver such as this, as I touched on, to try and save herself from Amazon punishment for not marrying/killing Ranma-kun/Ranma-chan, which I figured was most likely by execution.

For the last time, NO, I am not going to kill anyone off. Bah, I'm not _that_ evil.

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	8. Part Eight

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Eight.

"Where are you going?" 

Ranma brushed past Nabiki abruptly, too absorbed in his impatience with always ending up having to deal with that stupid old crazy woman.

"Ranma!" Nabiki grabbed his arm.

"What?" He really didn't feel like dealing with Nabiki now. He needed to find out how to cure Akane.

::Or _if _there even _is_ a cure to be found:: he reminded himself.

Trying not to think about things like that, he turned sharply to Nabiki.

"What are you doing? You're not going to see that old bat are you?"

"What do you think I'm doing? She's the only one who can-"

"Wrong. She's the only one who absolutely won't. She'll do what she always does; find out what it is you want from her, and make you run all over the damned country for it for days until you get it. Or you don't. You don't have time for this," Nabiki said plainly.

"Well, what am I supposed to do? Just sit around and watch her die?"

"No! One word: Shampoo."

"Come again? Nabiki, why in hell would I talk to her? She's the one who did this in the first place!"

"Exactly."

*           *           *

::This is ludicrous:: Ranma thought, agitated, as he searched around for the purple-haired Amazon. ::How the heck am I supposed to find her? She wouldn't go back to the old crone, that's the last person she wants to see right now. Besides me:: he added darkly.

A strange noise, and he whipped around, searching for the source. He was somewhere in Suburbia Hell, Nerima, in the small space between one row of houses and another. It was fairly dark, and all he could make out was a pair of yellow, glowing eyes.

From the shadows came a frightened "meow." 

::Dammit:: Ranma cringed, feeling the all too familiar sense of dread creeping up his spine. Suddenly, he caught sight of another pair of golden, shining dots in the blackness. ::Bells? Wait a minute…::

*           *           *

A few minutes, a few miles, and one empty, steaming kettle later, a rather wet and frightened Shampoo sat across Toufuu's office table from Ranma. She was looking at the books on the shelves, the ceiling, the walls, the door, the wood patterns on the table, her lap, anything really but Ranma or Toufuu. 

"Shampoo, I need your-" Ranma started.

"Gomen," she said in a tiny voice.

"What?"

"Gomen. Shampoo… Shampoo so sorry. Shampoo no mean to kill crazy pervert girl. Shampoo-"

"Her name is Akane," Ranma cut her off sharply. "And she's not dead. Yet. That's why I brought you here. I need your help."

"Need help? Airen need-" Ranma stopped her with a frown. "Ranma need Shampoo help? But… Shampoo no understand. Shampoo one who hurt per- Akane," she corrected her verbal slip quickly.

"I know that," Ranma prompted. "And that's why you're the only one who can help us."

"But… But what can Shampoo do?" she asked, still uncertain.

"You can tell us if there's any way to cure Akane," Ranma answered, hanging on the silence that filled the air.

"There only one thing to do," Shampoo said quietly.

"There is?" Ranma was suddenly his over-confidant self again. "What? What do we do?"

"Id special ki charm Shampoo must do with Akane. Is found in ancient Amazon warrior scroll. We find scroll, Shampoo fix Akane."

"Where," Ranma asked evenly.

*           *           *

Ranma stood over Akane's bed, the rucksack he had never got around to unpacking slung over his shoulder, watching the covers rise and fall softly with the rhythm of her thin breathing.

The door to her room opened.

"Ranma-kun?"

"Hai, sensei," Ranma replied, not turning around.

"Shampoo is ready now. We'll be waiting for you."

"Hai." Toufuu shut the door again.

"Well," he said quietly, more to himself than anything. "I guess this is it. I'm leaving again."

He moved close to Akane's side, crouching low to the floor.

"But this time, I'm coming back. I promise. I will always come back for you." 

He smoothed her covers unnecessarily, then reached down and gently took her small hand in his, running a finger over her ring.

"I will always come back for you," he said again, getting to his feet again, "Because I love you."

Akane's eyelashes fluttered delicately in her sleep.

"Always," he whispered in her ear, kissing her gently on the forehead before he slipped quietly out of the room.

*           *           *

Outside the clinic in the harsh afternoon sunlight, Toufuu stood beside Shampoo, who looked nervous but determined. Ranma felt something similar.

"Ok," he took a deep breath. "Let's go."

End Part Eight.

I know, that was a short chappie, but there'll be more tomorrow.

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	9. Part Nine

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

//speech over the phone//

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Nine.

Ranma pushed his way through a thicker gathering of low maple branches, scattering dead leaves in the path behind him. A little further ahead, Shampoo trudged through the underbrush, blazing along a long forgotten trail.

The absolute silence, only found in such a remote area, was sliced through with a discordant jangle. 

Ranma reached into his pocket for the cell phone Nabiki had insisted he take with them, and not finding it, tried the other. 

"God dammit, I hate these things!" He struggled for a good few minutes with the tiny phone until he could finally get it to answer. "What?!"

//Ranma?//

"Yeah it's me, what is it Nabiki?"

//Where are you? It's getting late.//

"Yeah, yeah, I know. We're somewhere outside of Takaragawa… Idunno, maybe about… five miles out to the north-west?" He looked further on to Shampoo questioningly, who nodded. "Why?"

//Well, like I said, it is getting late. Kasumi absolutely _insisted I call and check on you, of course. She figured four and a half hours is long enough to start panicking. Really. Any sign of where you're headed?//_

"Not yet, but I think we might be getting close. Shampoo's told me the path is leading straight up this mountain we're coming up to, and it should either be at the base before the steep climb, or it'll be tucked into one of the crevices. We'll find it."

//Good. I'll let everyone know. Be careful.//

"We'll be fine, Nabiki," Ranma sighed.

//Yeah, try and tell that to Kasumi. Call when you're at the station.//

"Right. Bye." Ranma snapped the small phone shut, and glanced at the surrounding landscape, frowning slightly. It was starting to get dark. He hoped they'd find the place before night fell.

::We'll find it soon:: he reassured himself, moving on again.

*           *           *

"Kasumi, relax. Everything will be just fine," Nabiki calmly told her sister for the thirteenth time in the last hour. 

"I'm just worried," Kasumi said again, twisting her apron strings. Nabiki had returned home for an early dinner, and to keep Kasumi company for a while before she went back to the clinic.

"Yes, I know this, Kasumi," Nabiki sighed, exasperated. "But there isn't anything to worry about." ::Actually, there's plenty, but that's not the smartest thing to say to Kasumi:: she thought disdainfully to herself.

"I just hope we can rely on Shampoo-chan. I still can't believe she could do something so terrible."

"Apparently, neither could she," Nabiki replied squarely. "But she could very well be telling the truth. And let's face it, what other options have we got?"

Kasumi nodded wanly, looking out through the screen doors to the garden. The koi pond had been left undisturbed for days now; it felt odd, and by now even the koi seemed to miss the commotion.

*           *           *

"This shrine we need," Shampoo indicated a small, run-down Shinto gate that was hidden just behind one of the mountain's deeper fissure walls. "Scroll we need kept safe here. We bring back, read ki charm, Akane blood clean. Is simple."

"Sounds like a plan," Ranma replied, following her lead up the slowly sloping trail. 

About twenty minutes later Ranma and Shampoo climbed the final stair to the entrance of the ancient shrine. It looked as though it was leisurely falling into the first stages of disrepair, but it was evident that someone lived here at least part of the year.

"Gomen kudasai…!" Ranma called into the dusty entryway.

Silence, except for the rustling of the leaves on the trees and the creaking of the foundation settling as night crept over the mountainside.

Then, all of sudden, a hunched old man, dressed in orange monk's robes, stepped out of the shadows without a sound. Shampoo jumped.

"How may I help you?" The man's tone was light and pleasant, if weathered by age, and Ranma felt oddly like he had just walked down the street to the corner market for soy sauce.

"Er… We're on a sort of quest… That is-"

Shampoo stepped forwards impatiently. ::Honestly:: she thought ::It takes a woman to do things right.:: "Excuse us. Shampoo and Ranma-" she pointed to Ranma, who smiled uneasily, "-come to your shrine look for Amazon scroll. Is ancient ki attack scroll. We need find scroll about Kire No Shi. You have, yes?" Ranma mentally gave Shampoo ten points for rapidity.

"Ah, yes, the Kire No Shi… An extremely risky and complex ki formation, for both the victim and its conjurer," he added, glancing sideways at Shampoo wisely. She looked down shamefully. "Well, let's see now…"

By now he had led the two into the depths of the old shrine, pacing among shelves upon shelves of scrolls and the like that made Toufuu's collection look like that of an amateur. Climbing a long, spindly ladder, the man rummaged around the volumes with a thin, knobby finger.

"By the way, my name is Jintsu. You said you were… Ranma?" Ranma nodded affirmatively. "And Shampoo, was it?" Shampoo did the same. "You're an Amazon yourself if I'm not mistaken, young lady." He pulled out one thin, crumbling scroll, frowned at it, replaced it, and resumed his searching.

"Yes… Shampoo is…" she suddenly stopped, and her expression changed from one of tentative pride to one of uncertainty. "Shampoo _was Amazon. But no more. Shampoo… Shampoo disgrace her tribe. Shampoo no… no longer fit be Amazon warrior," she finished, looking down again._

"Now, now, that's hardly necessary. I've found the more aged laws of the Amazons, as well as their elder council members to be a morsel too harsh on the subject of proper punishment. And I am getting the distinct impression that your crime surpasses the forbidden use of such a… debatable course of action."

Ranma found himself shocked at Shampoo's past measures once again that day. Forbidden? Shampoo must really have been desperate.

"Shampoo…?" he asked cautiously. She turned to him questioningly. "What, exactly, what kind of punishment were you…?"

Shampoo's face darkened in light of the subject. "Shampoo fail fulfill Kiss of Death. Shampoo also fail marry." Ranma remembered those escapades, all right. "Shampoo… If Shampoo return to China, to her people… Shampoo be… executed."

::Executed…:: 

Ranma was shaken by the severity of punishment among the Amazons, although, when he thought about it, remembering some of the sinister ways Cologne seemed to pride in so well, he wasn't sure what he had been expecting.

"Ah, here we are…" Jintsu piped up again, descending from the rafters, a scroll in hand. "The Kire No Shi. All the documentation on the technique, its effects on the victim, modifications, and reversal techniques."

Ranma perked up at the words "reversal techniques." Shampoo looked extremely relieved.

"The only known reversal charm is this one," he pointed to a drawing and cluster of Chinese characters on the scroll he had laid out along a table in the center of the room. "The Te Na Dameru. There are three parts to the charm. Only one of the three is necessary to reverse the Shi attack's damage. And that is the mantra the original conjurer chants to the victim. The necessary arrangement and items of merit are illustrated here, as is the pattern of markings to be applied to the victim."

"We use Amazon sepia ink, yes?" Shampoo asked proficiently.

"Yes, naturally. You have the ink?" Jintsu continued.

"Yes, Shampoo have with her always. Not safe to leave at home." Shampoo looked unsure at the word "home" upon saying it, and Ranma put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about that right now," he offered lightly. "We'll figure it out."

Shampoo looked slightly cheered by that prospect, and turned back to Jintsu's instructions.

"Jintsu-san?" Ranma questioned, thinking back to what he had told them about the reversal charm. "You said only one of the parts was necessary, right?" Jintsu nodded. "Well, what are the other two for?"

Jintsu sighed resignedly, he had been hoping the two wouldn't ask about the remaining parts of the charm. They didn't need to worry about complications like that now. They were most likely short on time.

"The other two parts are only used if the victim doesn't respond to the mantra. In that case, the conjurer would resort to a blood pact."

"Blood pact?" Ranma and Shampoo chorused; Ranma looking curious, while Shampoo looked apprehensive.

"Yes, an exchange of a small amount of blood between victim and conjurer. The clean blood of the conjurer works to enhance the effects of the mantra, and create a bond between the two. A very powerful bond. This bond cannot be broken, and it connects the two by the honor code of the ancient blood pact. It is a very serious step to take, but as I can see, you and your intended victim are in the process of patching up the damage. Am I right in thinking so?" he eyed Shampoo with the piercing, yet calm gaze of a wizened man. Shampoo looked hesitant to reply, but Ranma nodded confidently. "Very well then. If it does come to that, then there should be no problems."

"And third part?" Shampoo asked softly.

"I was hoping you wouldn't mention that. But I suppose it would be best for you to be aware of the seriousness of the options. The third and final alternative is, as there is no other way to reverse the damage, exorcism of the tainted blood. A very risky procedure, and not one hundred percent success rate either. All in all, the worst case scenario, and even then, it is not wise."

Ranma blanched, and Shampoo made a small, squeaking noise in surprise.

"Of course, I highly advise you against that, no matter what your reasons. Whether or not it works, it is not worth the trouble it will cause you in the aftermath."

Ranma tried to erase that implication from his mind as they rolled up the scroll and quietly headed for the entrance once again.

"Domo arigatou, Jintsu-san." The two bowed deeply to their elder benefactor. 

"No need, no need." Jintsu waved an impatient hand at the pair. "Any time."

"Let's hope there won't be a next time, no offense," Ranma laughed wryly. 

"None taken, I understand completely. Oh, Shampoo? May I have a quick word, before you go?" 

Shampoo followed him over to the side.

"I would just like to recount to you a bit of advice I think would be of some use to you. Perhaps it is best that you are no longer a part of your Amazon tribe. I know, I know, it is a matter of pride and honor-" Jintsu added hastily at the adverse look Shampoo gave him, "but all I am saying is you may be able to take this experience and learn from it. Perhaps you can use it to become all the better a person on your own for it, rather than a lesser person as a part of it. It's something to think about. I am sure you were meant for better things; you are a strong warrior, no doubt. You would have been expelled from your clan long ago if that were not the case. It just may be that, in spite of all it has taught you, it is time for you to learn what kind of person you wish to become on your own."

Shampoo looked wary of the suggestion, but seemed to agree on a certain level. To Jintsu at least, this appeared to be some kind of progress, as he smiled genuinely and patted her on the arm.

"You'd best be on your way. You have a long journey home, I take it. I would invite you to stay the night, but I know you are running low on time," he finished humbly.

"Oh, don't even think of it, Jintsu-san, we'll be just fine. Besides, we do need to be getting home, the sooner the better," Ranma agreed. "Thank you again, for all your help."

Jintsu handed the scroll to Shampoo, and waved at the two until they were lost from view.

::Good luck to you:: he mused solemnly. ::You most likely won't make use of it, but good luck to you all the same.::

End Part Nine.

All right! Flameraven told me how to change my user settings, so now people can review without having to sign in! Yay! *does the wave again* 

Zeleanre, my other half: Stop that!

Rain: *pouts*

Sorry for the agonizingly long wait! I'm on part 10 as we speak.

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	10. Part Ten

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Ten.

"Tadaima," Ranma called wearily into the darkened clinic. It felt a bit strange to say coming here, rather than back at the dojo, but he wanted to stay the night here. He didn't feel right leaving Akane here alone. Sure, Toufuu would be there, but even so.

"Toufuu-sensei?" he tried, when he got no reply from the seemingly empty hallway to the doctor's office.

"Strange," supplied Shampoo, setting her pack down behind him. "Where doctor with foggy glasses?"

"I'm not sure…" Ranma replied, his eyes scanning the room. "Sensei?"

Something in the hall caught his eye, and he glanced around the corner towards the rooms in back. Under the crack between the floor and Akane's door, light seeped out. Ranma walked quietly over to her room, and went in, Shampoo close behind.

Toufuu was bent over Akane, looking haggard and frazzled, his face gaunt and drowsy. "Oh, Ranma-kun, I didn't hear you come in. Welcome back."

Ranma skipped the small talk. "Is something wrong, sensei?"

Toufuu sighed warily, and motioned to the chair that usually remained in the corner. "Perhaps you should sit down, Ranma-kun. You've had a long trip."

Ranma sensed that this was not going to be good news. Toufuu knew Ranma would have sat down if he really felt the need to. Regardless, Ranma remained standing, bracing himself for some unpleasant developments.

"Ranma-kun, Shampoo-san… I am relying on you now."

"We understand, sensei," Ranma replied. Shampoo agreed as well.

"Shampoo… Shampoo like Akane, even though she not supposed to. Shampoo want to help." 

"Well, I hope you two succeeded in finding something, anything, to help. Because from this point on, I can only assist you in using what you have found, but other than that, there is nothing more I can do for Akane. She fell into a coma about fifteen minutes ago."

Ranma visibly wilted under those words, dropping to the chair, overwhelmed in spite of what he had expected to hear. Shampoo put a hand to her mouth in shock.

"Aiya… What… What if charm no work?" she worried aloud.

"It has to," Ranma resolved sharply. "And if it doesn't, there's still…" he looked pleadingly to Shampoo. "I know this is a lot to ask, Shampoo. But if something should go wrong…"

"Shampoo do whatever it take to make up for what Shampoo done. Is no question," she countered proudly. 

"Thank you," Ranma said simply. "For your help. You didn't have to."

"Yes Shampoo did. Is duty. Even if no duty, is what Shampoo want to do."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Toufuu asked, motioning to the scroll Shampoo still carried.

"We find scroll. Shampoo to use sepia ink to mark on Akane, like it say," she showed Toufuu the drawings on the scroll. "Then Shampoo chant ki charm. Is all. Should clean blood from ki attack."

"Well, let's hope this works," Toufuu replied, rolling back his sleeves, as Shampoo extracted a tiny bottle of reddish-brown liquid from the chain around her neck.

*           *           *

"来, 来, 被感染的血液。洗涤这种罪恶的你的受害者内。" Shampoo stood over Akane, who lay on the hospital bed, her covers removed, and the sleeves of her gi removed. The top of her gi had been loosened a bit, and her hair pushed back onto the pillow, to expose the cut along her upper neck.

"逐出火热邪魔的举行在你的灵魂, 变得自由死亡切片。" The ancient symbols Shampoo had painted carefully along Akane's arms, neck, shoulders and face were now pulsating with a low, deep-red light. The marking on the crest of her forehead was the brightest, and her bangs seemed to shift in an unseen wind.

Shampoo continued to chant for many minutes, as Ranma and Toufuu watched cautiously in the background.

Finally finishing with a muttered "是自由的," she lowered her hands that had been clasped before her, and turned to the two.

"Aiya, is more difficult than Shampoo think," she breathed wearily, running a hand across her forehead. "But that all need be done for now. We not know if work until early morning maybe."

"How will we know?" Ranma asked, hoping for some sort of sign that Akane would be all right that they could risk counting on.

"Most likely, if she wakes up. But she'll probably rest for a day or so before then, even if it does work," Toufuu speculated carefully. "But I'll be able to tell, I've been monitoring her closely, I should have enough to go by."

Ranma sighed with a mixture of relief and anxiety; relief that the first battle was over, but anxiety that another was just beginning. ::You're just being jumpy:: he told himself firmly, ::Relax. Read. Sleep. Whatever, do something.::

"Ranma-kun, you aren't staying the rest of the night are you?" Toufuu asked curiously, as Ranma eased himself into the chair again. "It's after one o'clock. Why don't you go back to the dojo and rest up before morning? You need some sleep."

Ranma stifled a yawn at the mention of sleep, waving a pacifying hand to Toufuu. "I honestly don't think I'll sleep any better there than here, sensei," Ranma stated frankly, glancing over at Akane's sleeping form. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd like to stay here…"

"Oh, not at all, Ranma-kun. Would you like me to bring in a futon for you or anything?"

"No, no, I'll be fine. I don't think I'm going to get much sleep."

"Be sure you give it a try," Toufuu chastised lightly, clapping a hand on his shoulder before heading for his room upstairs for the rest of the night.

*           *           *

"Shampoo going to stay at Tendo dojo for rest of night." Shampoo hadn't left yet, and she still stood behind Ranma, whose back was now facing her. "Nice apron girl invite Shampoo stay. Ranma stay here?"

"Yeah, I'm staying," Ranma said simply.  

"Ok. Shampoo go now. Sleep some if can. Ranma feel better maybe if he sleep too. Beera." She moved to the door. Ranma turned to her as she left.

"Shampoo?" She twisted around again, halfway out the door. "Thanks again for all your help. I don't know what we would have done without you." Shampoo knew it was sincere.

The same calm, yet proud look came to her pretty face again. "Is no question what honorable Amazon warrior do. Is question what honorable woman do. Shampoo glad to help."

Without another backward glance, she slipped out, closing the door behind her.

Ranma got to his feet again, dragging the chair over to the side of Akane's bed. Sitting a second time, he leaned over her slightly, pulling the sheets up over her once more, tucking them up under her chin. ::Don't want you to get cold:: he thought absentmindedly as he smoothed her hair across her forehead softly.

The fingertips of her left hand were just barely uncovered, and Ranma pulled her hand into his, tenderly caressing her smooth palm with his thumb. He found himself whispering in a peaceful, hushed voice to her, even though he was sure she couldn't hear him.

"You know, Akane, that Jintsu guy who helped us out, he asked me to write him when this was all over. Said he wanted to know how it all ends. Well, I just hope everything manages to work out all right. Because I need a second chance to prove myself to you. Maybe even to myself, in a way. I need to prove that I deserve that second chance to start things over again, the right way this time. Because I need the chance to spend the rest of my life with you. That's all I need, and that's all I've ever wanted. To love you. And maybe, this time, you can love me too."

He fell asleep that way for a while, her hand in his, his head pillowed on the sheets.

*           *           *

Enveloped in the blackness that had swallowed her senses so many hours upon hours ago, a small point of warm, bright light pierced through, and Akane's spirit stirred. 

Almost regaining consciousness for the first time in over a day, her eyes quivered, adjusting to the dark room, which was brighter still than the abyss she had been hovering in so long. She felt as though she had been indefinitely suspended underwater, with unidentifiable movements, colors, lights and sensations only skimming the surface of her perception, while she observed mutely from below.

At her side, she could barely make out a wonderfully welcome sight. Even with her vision blurred, she knew. She knew the colors; the patches of the deep red of a silk shirt, the deep black of the unruly hair against the white, hospital-like sheets around her… the pleasantly familiar face; soft, kind eyes she knew even when he slept, a small, half-smile that was meant just for her… But mostly she recognized the gentle, loving touch of his hand on hers that seemed to warm her all over from her fingertips on. She found herself managing a small smile herself.

"Ran…ma…" was all she could whisper before the blackness swept her senses from her once more.

End Part Ten.

Fair warning: I am working tomorrow night, so I probably will only be able to churn out one chapter. Sunday I may only have time for one too, got a big physics test to study for. But during the week, I'll have more time (as backwards as that sounds, it's true, lol)

P.S. "beera" is one of the conversational Chinese phrases Shampoo uses (like "nihao," "airen," etc) and is the equivalent of a casual goodbye, pronounced "beh" (sounds like "bei" as in bake) "rah."

Also, if anyone is interested in the mantra that Shampoo chants, this is the translation (She chants it in Chinese). This is probably a poor translation, but it was the best I could do on short notice:

"Come forth, come forth, tainted blood.

Cleanse your victim of the evil within.

Expel the fiery demon's hold upon your soul,

to become free from the Slice of Death.

Be free."

The kanji, for anyone who is interested, for Shampoo's attack, the Kire no Shi translates to "the slice of death, and the kanji for the ki charm that counteracts its effects, the Te Na Dameru translates to "the useless hands," as in the sense that it is a spirit cleansing, free of the clumsy work of the hands. Idunno, it probably only makes sense to me, but meh.

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	11. Part Eleven

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback_

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Eleven.

It was the faint buzzing sound that woke him an hour or so later.

::What was that?::

Reluctantly releasing his soft hold on Akane's small hand, Ranma rose from the chair, and stiffly wandered into the hallway. ::Was that Toufuu? What would he be doing up? Strange… There aren't any other patients tonight…:: Ranma thought cautiously. 

He heard it again. It sounded a bit like a light bulb burning out. 

Suddenly, the darkness seemed much more acute.

There was a creak from the staircase, and Ranma turned to find a tired Toufuu stumbling blindly down the stairs, a candle in hand. "You heard it too, Ranma-kun? Not surprising, you've got ears like a fox, but all the same, when you're asleep…"

"I told you I probably wouldn't sleep too well tonight, sensei," Ranma reminded him.

"True," Toufuu agreed sleepily. "It sounded like a power outage. Maybe a brownout. I'm going to go check out the fuse box." 

Ranma nodded, and made to follow him, when a strong sensation of a disturbance in the air invaded his senses. He whipped around to face the dark, empty hall.

"Something wrong, Ranma-kun?" Toufuu's voice drifted in from the entrance.

"I just got a weird feeling…" he began. Toufuu tensed and walked briskly back to the hall, and entered Akane's room.

As Ranma came in, Toufuu was examining her again, testing various pressure points. From what Ranma could make out in the light of Toufuu's candle, he looked extremely worried. ::Oh no.:: Ranma thought.

"We need Shampoo right away," he said gravely. 

*           *           *

Fifteen minutes later, a sleepy Shampoo and a harassed Nabiki rushed into the clinic.

"Aiya…" Shampoo yawned. "What going on?"

"Toufuu-sensei, nothing personal, but it's-" Nabiki glanced at her watch, "3 am."

"This is very serious. Shampoo, you have the scroll?" Toufuu hurried on, leading the pair into Akane's room. The sight that met their eyes was a very strange one indeed.

Akane's aura was bright and glowing hotly, not her usual flame-red that surrounded her when she was furious, but a dark, poisonous-looking purple. The mark on her forehead, that had supposedly been washed away after the mantra had been finished, glowed bright again, seemingly from beneath her skin. The only thing keeping her condition stable was Ranma.

He was sitting in the chair again, holding tightly to one of her hands with both of his own, his strong, blue ki flowing through the bond, keeping her in check. Nabiki simply raised an eyebrow.

"Damn. This cannot be good." Trust Nabiki to put it bluntly.

"Shampoo…" Ranma turned to her, uncertain of what he was about to ask, although they had already discussed it earlier. Now that it was actually happening, everything from before suddenly seemed to have been thrown into doubt.

"Shampoo know what to do," she stated plainly. Ranma still looked skeptical. 

"Foggy glasses doctor?" she motioned to Toufuu. "It be better if have bandages and ointment ready. Shampoo must reopen Akane's cut." Toufuu left, and returned shortly with the necessary items.

Moving close to Akane, drawing her pocketknife, Shampoo laid a hand on Ranma's reassuringly. "Everything be just fine." She looked resolute and brave, and there was no trace of fear in her eyes. She was as ready as she would ever be. He stepped back, leaving her space.

Taking some of the sepia ink from before, Shampoo performed a short cleansing ceremony of the blade, before turning to Akane's glowing form.

Wincing only slightly, Shampoo turned the blade on its side and streaked a small incision along her upper arm, drawing a steady trickle of blood.

Catching a few drops along the curve of the blade, she bent over Akane. Ranma turned away.

Cupping Akane's neck with a towel, Shampoo ran the blade along the healing wound, her own blood running into Akane's. Taking hold of Akane's corresponding upper arm to the one she had cut, Shampoo made a new cut, drawing unmixed blood, collecting it on the length of the knife, and allowing it to seep into her own wound.

"洗涤血液。债券一起血液契约。永恒连接。" she chanted deeply, repeating it three times.

The glow around Akane's body dissipated slowly. Soon the mark vanished from her forehead, and the sheets that had been rustling softly from the wave of heat she had been giving off settled gently once again. Ranma let out the breath he hadn't been able to help holding in. Toufuu looked impressed, as the cut along Akane's neck faded away as well.

Shampoo stumbled slightly as she moved to sit down. "Shampoo just need rest for while. Charm hard on ki energy. But Shampoo be okay to go back to dojo with sinister money girl," she gasped, putting a hand to her forehead.

"The name's Nabiki," she interrupted formally. "Come on, girl. Let's get you home."

Ranma stopped the two before they stepped out the entrance, Nabiki supporting Shampoo.

"Shampoo… Thank you. Again. No matter what got all of us here, we're friends. Got that?" he insisted seriously, but Shampoo could see the usual kindness in his eyes.

She just smiled drowsily, and went on one step at a time, her arm slung over Nabiki's shoulder. 

*           *           *

"Well, I'm glad that's over," Ranma sighed. Toufuu seemed to agree.

"But I'm still not sure what to do about the brownout…" he mused to himself distractedly.

"Well, it's almost morning anyway," Ranma reiterated groggily. "The sun'll be up soon, and you can call someone to come check it out then."

"Yes, but all the power is out," Toufuu insisted. "The heat isn't coming on. It's getting fairly chilly in here." Ranma, warmed from the increased ki flow he had used to steady Akane, just nodded slowly. 

"And…?"

"These rooms can get quite cold at night," Toufuu continued. "Akane isn't dressed very warmly, and normally I would be heating her room throughout the night, so her condition will remain stable. Low temperature could cause some serious problems while she's in such a weak state."

"You don't mean-" Ranma had caught on, blushing furiously.

"You'd only be keeping her warm, Ranma-kun," Toufuu chuckled, pushing Ranma down to sit on the edge of the bed. "And it's only a few more hours until daylight, like you said." 

Ranma gave in with a sigh, exasperated, and too tired to argue. Toufuu, apparently, could be quite the sadist. He sure was looking awfully amused, anyhow.

Ranma slid carefully under the white covers beside Akane, who had now fallen into a deep sleep. He was glad to see her skin had gotten some of its color back.

Drawing Akane gently to him, pulling the sheet up over her shoulders with one hand, and holding her around the waist with the other, Ranma tried, without much success, to slow his heartbeat down. She wasn't too chilled yet. 

Toufuu took one last cheery look at the two, ruffling Ranma's hair playfully, before stepping out. "Sleep well, Ranma-kun." Ranma would have glared, if he could have taken his mind off how good it felt to hold her in his arms. 

Yep, he was a sadist all right.

But Ranma, not surprisingly, didn't object.

Finally settling down a bit, Ranma rested his chin on the top of Akane's head, running his hand through her hair. 

It wasn't long before he was lost in sleep, and thoughts of her.

End Part Eleven.

"Aha, there's the WAFF" exclaim my readers. A few exasperated sighs echo somewhere, no doubt.

It was probably pretty obvious that I was going to have some good-natured fun with the brownout. *laughs maniacally, running off into the sunset, although it's 11:57 pm*

Again, in case anyone gives a damn, the charm Shampoo performs reads as follows (Chinese, of course):

"Cleanse the blood.

Bond together of the blood pact.

Eternal connection."

OK, so I was at work all morning and most of the afternoon, so I only barely managed to churn this one out. But I got off on a technicality, it isn't midnight yet! Hehe. I know, I'm such a bad girl.

Again, got a big test to study for tomorrow, so only one is promised for sure tomorrow.

Ja, minna.

Until my next post; next day delivery or sooner, guaranteed!

::Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~


	12. Part Twelve

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback___

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Twelve.

It was well past nine in the morning when Akane woke.

Ranma was sleeping peacefully for the first time in over 36 hours, his chin resting on Akane's head, his arms around her, holding her close to him.

Akane wasn't aware of much at first, laden with the after-sensation of having slept years of her life away, except how pleasantly warm she was all over.

She remembered feeling like this only once before in her life. It was a time she didn't like to think of too often, because it reminded her that she had almost given up. 

If it weren't for Ranma. He had held her then. And she was sure he was holding her now.

But this time, her skin wasn't deathly cold. This time she felt warmth from within, not just from the strong arms that always held her when she needed them. 

Breaking the surface, between half-sleep and blinking in the sunlight, Akane slipped her arms around Ranma and cuddled further into his embrace.

Feeling her stirring, Ranma dazedly opened his eyes.

The first thing he noticed was that Akane had buried her face in his shoulder, and the second thing was that she was holding him back.

"Akane… Hey, Akane…" he coaxed quietly. ::Is she really awake, or am I dreaming again? Is she OK? Is this finally over? Is she-::

"Hi," Akane said simply, looking up at him.

"Um, hi," he replied sheepishly. This was just a bit peculiar. She's in a coma for a day and a half, and the first thing she says is "hi"? Somehow it seemed so, well, Akane.

"You're finally awake," Ranma said, more to himself than to Akane. "Boy am I glad that's over."

"I don't really remember what happened," she said frankly. "The last thing I remember is Shampoo. Ranma… was she really trying to … to kill me?"

Akane wasn't sure if she honestly believed the question was valid or not. True, she had always been competing with Shampoo, so to speak, but there had been, she was almost sure, an unspoken agreement between the two of them that promised competition, but nothing more serious. And certainly nothing as violent as murder.

"I think she was," Ranma tried to choose his words carefully. In the end it had been Shampoo who had saved her, so it wouldn't be a good idea to flare up her temper. "But she told me after, she… Cologne had given her an ultimatum. Either kill you and marry me, or go back to China and face execution." Akane looked just as shocked as Ranma had felt upon first hearing the news. 

"That's terrible! I had no idea that the Amazons would do something like that to one of their own people. I mean, it's not like she murdered someone or… Well, I guess she almost did," she revised.

"I know. But she told me afterwards how sorry she was, and that she hadn't meant to kill you. She didn't even want to hurt you as badly as she did. She felt so guilty for a while. Adrenaline can do weird things to people. But in the end, she was the one who found the cure for you, and administered it to you. And when that didn't work, she threw away any chance of ever belonging to her clan again by creating a blood bond between you and her."

"A blood bond? I thought those were myths," Akane said skeptically.

"So did I," Ranma agreed. "But apparently not, you're awake now, aren't you? And look at your arm," he pointed to a small scar on Akane's upper left arm. There was a tiny symbol there, not a cut, almost like a faded tattoo burned into her skin, in the shape of infinity.

Akane pulled a Kasumi. "Oh, my…" Ranma laughed to himself. Apparently it ran in the family.

"What does this mean, the blood bond between she and I?" Akane asked.

"You protect each other. It's kind of like adopting a sister. You're not part of an Amazon clan or anything, neither is Shampoo anymore as a matter of fact, it's more like you promise to always look out for one another. She's glad to do it for you, she just hopes you don't hate her for what she did."

"Of course I don't hate her! I mean… Other people are probably saying I _should_, but I don't know. I just can't. I know, I have known the whole time we've been tangled together, she isn't really a bad person. And this time, just like all the others, I'm sure, Cologne was controlling her. I want to be her friend. I … I will be, and after what she gave up for me… Whether or not she really wanted it anymore, still… I would be honored to become her sister," she finished resolutely.

Shampoo stepped into the room then.

"Shampoo…" Akane found herself hoping she would be able to say the right thing. She wanted to make amends of this whole crazy mess so badly.

"Shampoo hear everything," Shampoo whispered, her expression hard to read. "Shampoo just want tell Akane… Shampoo honored be sister to Akane too. Shampoo glad you better now. It worth all trouble. Shampoo do again if have to."

"Shampoo, I… Thank you. I'll try and make it up to you somehow…"

"Is no need. Is what friends for. What sisters for." She extended her hand hopefully. Akane took it without hesitation, but shifted from Ranma's arms to pull Shampoo into her own in an unexpected embrace.

Shampoo wasn't sure what to do. In her clan, showing emotions other than anger and vengeance was looked down upon.

::But Shampoo is own woman now:: she reminded herself proudly. She hugged Akane back. She had never been hugged before, even by her own mother. It felt nice.

For the first time, Shampoo knew she could look to the future for better things to come. It was new, and a bit frightening, but she didn't release her grasp on her newfound hope.

She wasn't sorry to let go. They were sisters now, after all. This was no parting. It was a beginning. 

She quietly left the two to catch up. They had plenty of that to do. 

*           *           *

Ranma and Akane were alone now, you could say. The eavesdroppers – that is, Toufuu, Nabiki, Kasumi, Soun, Nodoka and a giant panda, still wearing the bowtie he'd had from the wedding – had at least had the decency to do so from _outside_ the room for once.

"Akane… I'm so sorry…" Ranma whispered into Akane's hair for the third time since this whole crazy ordeal had begun. "I just-"

"Shh," Akane hushed him, smiling caringly into his shirt. "It's ok, I understand. We both feel sorry. Because we both screwed up royally. But hey, at least we know, ne? I guess it just goes to show we suck at guessing what the other is thinking," she laughed, and Ranma relaxed considerably.

"I'm glad," he said, smoothing her bangs with his hand, closing his eyes, relieved. "I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you… I almost have twice now, and I still hadn't told you… And after what I left you thinking after that stupid wedding… I needed to tell you… You mean the world to me. And I love you."

Akane trembled just barely under the light weight of his hand.

"I did then, and I do now. I loved you when I put that ring on your finger, and I'll love you until the day I die. And who knows what comes next? Maybe even longer."

Akane slowly let out a deep breath. She wanted Ranma to feel the way he made her feel right now. She wanted to show him how she felt more than anything. Ranma was still talking to her quietly, but he was stumbling slightly now, unsure of her response; she still hadn't said anything and he was starting to get nervous…

"Akane…? Do you… Do you think I could… It's just, I should have when they married us, but that's just it. _They married __us. And that's the last thing I wanted. __I wanted to marry _you_. And I was really hoping that maybe you could want to marry me? I still don't know, but if you wouldn't mind it… I would have then, but I wasn't sure how you felt and I-"_

He found it difficult to finish his rambling, as Akane had pressed her lips to his and he wasn't exactly in a position to protest. Not that he would have. ^^

Akane pulled back only shortly after she had leaned forwards, their noses brushing against each other. "No, Ranma. I don't mind it," she whispered sweetly, her face somewhat flushed. 

"Oh," he said, flustered, more out of relief than awkwardness. How could he even think of feeling awkward when it felt perfectly right to be close to her? To hold her near to him, where he had always wanted her to be? Quite simply, he couldn't. Her eyes seemed to be very dark but bright at the same time, as her vision borrowed his. And so he didn't. 

Instead, he lovingly, albeit a bit nervously, traced the line of her jaw with one finger, cupping her chin and drawing her face closer to his. Looking into Akane's eyes briefly, he seemed to find, as he always did, assurance that…

"You know I love you too, don't you Ranma?" Akane finished his train of thought. "Baka," she added, but it wasn't meant the usual way.

"Kawaikune," he replied.

Nabiki sighed in relief just outside the door. Thank god there was still at least one thing that hadn't changed.

Akane didn't really expect an answer, she knew already. But he gave her one anyway. 

Ranma kissed her very gently, once, twice, until they both lost count, just basking in the inner glow that discovering one another, tasting each other for the first time, created.

It was a fantastic first, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Nabiki, now the last stationed outside the door, smiled inwardly.

::Well,:: she thought contentedly, ::I have a feeling I wasn't the only one who'd been waiting for that one. Maybe that wedding wasn't such a bad idea.::

She rose to join the others in the waiting room. 

She had left a few particular electric devices running back there, though.

She needed something to put away for a rainy day, after all.

*           *           *

The rain outside the shop window pattered steadily, slashing in the gusts of the wind, leaving long, streaking trails to snake down the foggy glass. It was warm inside.

Ukyou lazily swung her large fighting spatula over her shoulder, the rest of her things already packed. It had been a long night. But now, it was time to go. 

::At last:: she thought warily. ::It's time I move on.::

Removing the "Ucchan's" sign was the most unreal for her. It was wet and bedraggled from the rain, but she wished she could have left it; left some piece of herself in Nerima. Time seemed to stand still here, no matter how ridiculously chaotic the going got. To be taking it down seemed to start up the wheel again. It hadn't turned in a while. What she couldn't know was it had been set in motion far before… When a pigtailed young martial artist had finally asked the young temperamental lady he loved to stay with him forever. When a stubborn, prideful Amazon warrior had walked away from her clan forever, to finally find an inner peace that one can only achieve when one is truly free.

*           *           *

She passed by the clinic on her way out of town the next day. Of course, she couldn't have known who would be standing at the doorway, out for a breath of fresh air he hadn't had in a while.

He saw her. She saw him. There was an infinite amount of uneasiness in her heart. The guilt of damaging things, maybe beyond repair, tends to do that to a person. She felt it now.

But he was smiling. That would have been a relief if she hadn't felt somewhere in her heart that once, just once, they might have been friends. It was just nice to see. Maybe she really had left a piece of herself here. It was too early to tell, anyhow.

Maybe she had been in love with him, and maybe she hadn't. But that was the kind of smile a friend gave another. She felt lucky to have that much just to herself. There was something about Ranma, after all.

He tapped two fingers to his forehead in a way of some kind of salute. But she recognized that little gesture. He hadn't done that since they were kids.

She smiled. It felt good, for once. 

She was glad she had left the restaurant by now, her tears would have made her okonomiyaki too salty. But these weren't tears of regret, and it would have tasted good.

*           *           *

Akane walked up behind Ranma as Ukyou disappeared from sight, slipping her arms around him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"So… What happens next?" she mused quietly, giving Ranma a little squeeze.

"I can't tell yet. I guess none of us can," he replied thoughtfully, looking up at the last wisps of a jet's trail in the stark colors of the setting sun. "Maybe things will fall back into another lazy routine. But as long as I'm with you, that's all that matters," he added, placing his hands over hers. 

"Maybe… we'll go home… Kasumi will find some excuse to celebrate by cooking something special… Nabiki will con people and come home with that evil smirk she has… My dad'll chuck me in the koi pond, I bet the fish have been bored lately… your dad will play shogi with mine, they'll both cheat every chance they get… Shampoo's coming to stay with us I think… Ukyou moved on, and I guess we have too…"

"And what about us?"

"Well… we're going to bicker about stupid stuff, no doubt…" Akane smiled in spite of herself. "We'll just take it one day at a time… And tomorrow you'll ask me what happens next?' And from then on, we'll figure it out."

"Sounds like a plan," she said. 

It sounded like just the thing. 

End Part Twelve.

Red: (you were an anonymous review, so I'm replying to it here) I know, I realized I had the verbs flipped like three seconds after I posted. Argh! Ah well, no harm done really, just my Japanese Sensei would hate me, lol. But what he doesn't know won't hurt him. I'm glad you liked the touches of Chinese. I'm sure some person who does speak it is going to flame me for sucking at using the language, though, lol.

Thanks for reading.

I hope you all have enjoyed the story, and I hope there might have been just a teensy bit of suspense left over that I didn't already kill by promising people I wouldn't kill Akane, lol. I also hope the whole thing wasn't shove-it-down-your-throat-waff; I wanted to show that Ranma and Akane aren't perfect, because in perfect love you shouldn't need words. You should just be. But, obviously, these two aren't perfect, even if they are meant for each other, since this entire thing was based off a huge misunderstanding. That's what I was shooting for, anyway.  

Yes, that was a long part, but that's because instead of the casually promised 14 parts, I ended up combining parts 12 and 13 into this, and that's what you get. I worked the hardest on this part, and I'd like to think it's my best work of the Carousel series, but that's probably wishful thinking. So…

I am sorry to have to announce this, but this concludes the final chapter of Carousel. There will follow shortly a part 13 Epilogue, but afterwards, that is the end of this insane spurt of creative energies. My formal sign off will be posted at the end of 13.

Thanks for reading, all of you.

To the epilogue, away! Yes, I am crazy.


	13. Part Thirteen: Epilogue

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and have been used without permission. This fanfiction was written for personal enjoyment, and hopefully the enjoyment of the readers.

Key:

"speech"

::thoughts::

_flashback___

Carousel: 

Usotsuki

by Rain

Part Thirteen: **Epilogue**

Postmark: Thirteen months after part 12 

To: Jintsu-sensei

From: Saotome Doujou

Jintsu-san, it's been awhile, hasn't it? I'm not sure if you remember me, but I'm Ranma. The random kid who showed up at your shrine about a year ago with this purple-haired Amazon named Shampoo for that ki scroll? Well, I thought I'd drop you a letter, you did ask me to write.

You wanted to know how everything ended? Well, here goes nothing.

I should probably start from the beginning.

You were right about Shampoo having attacked someone with the Kire no Shi. She attacked my fiancé, Akane Tendo.

Now me and fiancés are like oil and water, except I've got more than enough to go around. You can thank my father for that, he had a habit when I was little of trading my hand in marriage for food. That was when I was out training with him. He took me from home when I was six and I'd been on the road ever since, until we came to the Tendos, that is.

The engagement between Akane and I was the only one my father made before I was born. He and Akane's father are very good friends, and back then they were in training together. Then they both got married and had families. Akane's mother died when she was really little, so now it's just the dad taking care of the three daughters, Akane and her two older sisters, Nabiki and Kasumi. Kasumi is more like the mother now.

So that's how I ended up with four fiancés. 

Shampoo was one of them. One of the more difficult ones, since the Amazon laws, as you probably know, are harsh and strict. 

Longer story short, I ended up with a Jusenkyo curse. I'm sure you've heard of Jusenkyo, and if you weren't sure if it was real, I'm living proof. Unfortunately, I fell into Spring of Drowned Girl. A more accurate name would be Spring of Drowned Busty Red-headed Girl Who Attracts Way Too Many Males for Her Own Good. Needless to say, it's caused me quite a bit of trouble, since then I've become quite the water magnet, making me a trouble magnet as well. My father's got one, he turns into a huge, lazy panda. Although he's lazy all the time.

Shampoo has a curse too, she turns into a cat. Yet another long story short, my father is an idiot and trained me in the Neko-ken when I was young, and now I'm terrified of cats. More trouble.

Before I met Akane, my only escape was martial arts. When I realized I cared for her, and even before then (unknown to me), she was the one person I could really count on, and I'm lucky to have her. Hell, I'm lucky she's stuck around this long. We both know if she had rejected to the engagement loudly enough, I wouldn't be where I am today. She was, although I didn't realize it at first, the only one I ever genuinely cared about as more than a friend. I think it was because she was the only one who wasn't _trying to marry me, but just seemed as bothered about the idea as I was. It was nice to have someone to talk to who wasn't being nice just to have an easy in when the going got rough. So somewhere along the line I fell for her. Of course, I never told anyone that before, or we would have been married faster than blinking with the fathers shouting something about "the joining of the houses." It got old pretty fast. So, needless to say, there was a bit of strain on our relationship from the start. But we worked around it, even if we did have to get over our fears._

So, you ask, where am I today?

I'm 18 now, out of school at last (it was just another constant battle ground, for me), and married. 

Did I forget to mention I'm married to Akane? And that I'm happier than I've ever been? Yeah, we finally got around to it.

It took a hell of a hijink to kick us into it, that's for sure. What happened was our parents married us finally, they were getting tired of us dancing around the issue, and I guess everyone but the two of us could see how crazy we were about each other. So we got married, but that was just the beginning of the trouble. Basically, I thought she was marrying me because it was easy, and she was sick of the parents' nagging, so I didn't end up telling her how I felt. Instead I broke her heart, and left. I hadn't even left Nerima, though, when Shampoo attacked her. She was trying to find a desperate solution other than Amazon execution. I can't imagine what must have run through her mind. So I was just a half-second too late to save Akane, and I found Shampoo, asked for her help, we came to you, used the first two out of the three parts of the scroll, and now here I am. I'm glad the third part stayed out of it. Honestly I don't think I would have listened to your advice about it if it had meant I was going to lose her. I can't really explain what it feels like. I've almost lost her twice now, but I still can't put it into words.

So… This letter is getting a bit long, and we've been married 13 months now. The first three days were hell though, as you can well imagine.

So, you ask again, enough preamble, how did it all end?

Well, like I said, we're married now. We still live in the Doujou, but I've inherited it now, hence the name change. I teach classes with Akane. She always tells me I'm a good teacher. I guess so, I haven't really thought about it, I just know I love the art, and if I can be a part of teaching future martial artists, then that's a great thing to do with my time. Plus, I like kids. I like to work with them, I like the way they learn and how they see things. They keep it simple. I still try and do that. They can teach me things too, no matter how young. 

I still can't believe I made it to where I am now. It feels like just yesterday my father was dragging me into the Tendo house, a screaming, kicking, wet redhead who they were all expecting to be his son. Although he was a panda at the time, so they were just a bit distracted. That was when I first found I liked Akane. The others were wondering what to do about me, and I hadn't had a chance to explain about the curse, it had only been two weeks since it had happened, and I was still scared and unsure about it. Akane told them to cut it out and asked it we could be friends. That's the kind of person she is, and that's one of the million tiny things I love about her.

Back to the now, we've got some big news around here. At least I'm almost positive. As far as I can tell, which is pretty well, Akane is expecting. She walks around the house with this look, plus something about her aura is different. She's probably only a month or two, but I can tell. Who knows why. She hasn't mentioned it yet, I think she wants it to be a surprise. She probably knows that I know, too. I'm already fussing over her more than she likes. She's very strong-willed and independent, so that doesn't go over too well with her, but I'll live with her temper. I know my way around it by now, all you've got to do is get her to smile. And that's not as hard as it used to be.

So I'm psyched that I'm going to be a father. We're both young, but things have always been in fast-forward in this place, but at the same time, it feels like they're standing still. I guess that's part of its charisma. But I know I'm as happy as I'll ever be. And it feels better than I would have expected.

So that's the abbreviated story of my life. Basic, constant, all-out chaos until I fell in love, and then it multiplied. But I wouldn't have things any other way.

P.S.  Thanks again for all your help. You're one of the reasons Akane has a fourth sister, Shampoo. She lives with us now, out from the iron grip of her grandmother. I think she's finally happy for once. I'd like to think everyone is. 

I hope things are well with you, and if you ever stop in Tokyo, drop by Nerima. It's a small town, but it's probably the liveliest place you'll ever visit. At least while I live here, that is.

Best regards,

Ranma Saotome

_"And the carousel circles endlessly, drawing you to its haunting tune… And all the while the children are laughing to the music only the young can hear… But as long as you step beyond the lies, you will forever find your place in the eternal cycle."_

_--Anonymous_

End.

**Some final words… from crazy ol' Rain to you.******

Minna…

Well, it's been a short time span, but quite a long journey, hasn't it? I can't believe I'm already finished. Who knew it would go so fast?

Well, all I can say is this: Thank you. Thank you very much for reading my work, and hearing from you is even better, it really makes my day, and gives me a reason to post the next chapter, knowing someone out there is eager to read what happens next. There are so many of your own works I'm dying to read and review, as soon as I've posted this and rested myself up. But you can expect reviews from me sometime. It's the least I can do to return the kindness.

I hope to stay in contact with those of you I've been playing email tag with, or you can always drop me an IM if I'm on as creepyoldmanwink.

Thanks so much for all the helpful ideas, suggestions, and praises. 

I know that was a long sign off, but I'm not leaving ff.net for good just yet. I'll probably be dormant awhile, lurking in the corners of my brain, waiting for that next late night/early morning lightning bolt of mad inspiration.

Until then.

:: Rain

P.S. Contact me at creepyoldmanwink@yahoo.com

I am not a creepy old man. I am a teenage girl. It's a joke with a friend. So there. ^_~

As my old email is starting to fill up, those of you I've kept in contact with, and hope to continue to do so now that this particular work is finished, I've opened a new email account. You can reach me here:

pixel_revolution@speedpost.net

Thanks again. I'll miss the anticipation of hearing from my reviewers, and the adrenaline that comes with discovering how much people enjoy my storytelling.

Who knows? Maybe I'll get another crazy idea one of these days.

We'll see.

Ja, minna, for now.


End file.
